A/N: I can't say thank you enough for all the lovely reviews I keep getting. Really, they mean so much to me and you guys are what really keeps this story going. So, thank you again and I hope you like this chapter. :)

Chapter Four

Taking the Next Step

Rebecca tiptoed out of her bedroom at the Heartland ranch house, and closed the door quietly behind her, wincing as it shut with a loud click. She breathed a low sigh of relief when there was no cry from the other side of the door. For a two-year-old, AJ was well-behaved, Rebecca rarely had to tell him no for anything, but he had one flaw. He didn't like sleeping alone. So, AJ slept with her every night, which was fine since there wasn't enough room for a toddler bed in the room. Though, she didn't know what she was going to do when she finally got her own apartment, and AJ got his own room.

Making her way to the living room, Rebecca plopped down on the couch, unsure what do with herself. Nobody else was around, and she didn't want to stray too far, for when AJ wakes up. She could watch TV, but she was afraid the sound would be to loud. Rebecca picked up a magazine, flipped through it real fast, then put it back down on the coffee table. She decided to take a shower instead, thinking she wouldn't get a chance to later.

As Rebecca walked to the bathroom, her cell phone buzzed from inside her pocket. She stopped to take out her phone, but by the time she looked at, the call had already transferred to her missed call list. She frowned, but it was just as well, because she didn't recognize the number. It was probably just a wrong number anyway. Rebecca hurried into the bathroom, before AJ decided he only wanted to sleep for fifteen minutes.

Ten minutes later, Rebecca shut off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a soft, white towel around her body. She shook out her hair with another towel and stepped up to the sink. Wiping off the steam that collected on the mirror, Rebecca began combing through her long, brown hair. It had grown long past her shoulders in the two years since AJ was born. She fingered the ends, thinking of the last time it was this long. It was right before her mother got sick, Rebecca was seven and she remembered sitting on her mother's hospital bed. Her mother would spend hours just brushing her hair, humming softly to both of them. She had once told her to never cut her hair, to leave it as long and as lovely as it was. Rebecca hadn't said anything, just reveled in the moment of being with her mother.

Once her mother had died, Rebecca could stand looking in the mirror and being reminded of the mother she lost. So, she took her little school kit scissors, and chopped at it until it hung lopsided just above her shoulders. Her father had only looked at her as if he'd never seen her before. It wasn't until a few years later, she was able to get it cut right, by then she didn't care. Rebecca blinked and she was back in the Heartland bathroom, looking at her dripping self in the mirror. She turned away from the mirror and slipped on pair of black yoga pants, and a soft, cotton, sky-blue, long-sleeve shirt.

Rebecca was only a few feet out of the bathroom, when she heard the front door open and then a very, loud voice. "Becky, you here?!" Caleb called. "I've got some exciting news to tell ya!" Rebecca winced and ran to the kitchen, before he woke up AJ with his big news.

"Shhh, AJ is sleeping," Rebecca told him, in an adamant whisper. "I want him to sleep as long as he can."

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just really excited," Caleb apologized.

"What's going on?" Rebecca asked, smiling, and wondering what has gotten him so wound up.

"A friend of mine and I are going into business together," Caleb explained. "We're going to buy reasonably, low-priced horses, train them to be a rodeo horse, then sell them for a big payoff at the end. He's going to put out the money for the horses, and I'm going to do most of the training. We'll split the profits evenly. What do you think?"

"I think it sounds great," Rebecca said, sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Yeah, it is," Caleb replied, sitting down across from her. He took her hands in his. "There's an auction coming up in Montana, and I want you to come with me. We'll spend a few days down there, you could sing some of your songs at the local pubs. You said, you wanted to get back into your music. It's the perfect time!"

Rebecca bit her lip, hesitating. "It sounds like an amazing trip, but what am I supposed to do with AJ? I can't leave him for that long." she declined.

"No, of course not," Caleb agreed. "He'll come with us."

Rebecca thought for a moment. "Are you sure?" she asked him.

Caleb nodded, eagerly. "So, what do you say?"

"I say...when do we leave?" Rebecca responded.

"In a week," Caleb grinned, standing up and pulling Rebecca up with him. She bit her lip as the space between them disappeared, and their lips met in a soft, sultry kiss. Rebecca wrapped her arms around Caleb's neck, and she walked backwards until she hit the kitchen counter. Caleb lifted her up, so that she was sitting up on the counter. They were eye to eye now as they broke apart for a second.

"I love you," Caleb said, his voice low and husky.

"I love you, too." Rebecca replied as she leaned forward for another kiss. Caleb obliged and they surrendered themselves to each other. The kiss intensified as their passion and love took control. Caleb trailed kisses down her neck and Rebecca leaned her head back, eyes closed. She grabbed a handful of his shirt when he came to her sweet spot right behind her ear, and she gasped out loud.

Suddenly, there was a noise like someone clearing their throat, and Rebecca spotted a shadow over Caleb's shoulder. Rebecca pulled back, abruptly, causing Caleb to spin around. Jack stood in the doorway of the kitchen, watching the two of them. Rebecca felt a blush creep up her face as Caleb bent down to retrieve his hat, that must have fallen off at some point.

"Sorry, Jack, we were just..." Caleb said as Rebecca slid, discreetly, off the counter.

"I saw what you were just doing," Jack interrupted him, stepping further into the kitchen. "And I don't recall paying you for that."

Rebecca's blush deepened.

"But there is a truckload of hay outside, waiting to be unloaded, that I can pay you for, if you still want the money." Jack continued.

"Yes, sir, I'll get right on that," Caleb said, then he turned to Rebecca, his hand grazing her arm. "I'll see you later."

Rebecca nodded. "I'll bring AJ out, when he wakes up." she told him. With a chaste kiss on the cheek, Caleb hurried outside, sparing a glance at Jack as he passed him. Rebecca glanced uncomfortably at Jack, crossing her arms over her chest. Jack looked at her and then, walked to the desk to shuffle through some papers.

"I'm going to check on AJ," Rebecca finally said, and didn't wait for Jack to respond. She ran from the kitchen, and didn't stop until she reached her bedroom door, breathing a loud sigh of relief.

~OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~

" 'ere goin, mommy?" AJ asked, as Rebecca carried him outside. Rebecca stopped and hefted the two-year-old higher on her hip. He was growing more and more every day, and each day Rebecca wished time would slow down, so that she could keep him this little longer. Today, the toddler wore black sweatpants with a white and navy-blue sports 'jersey', and a navy-blue fleece jacket over top. AJ started swinging his legs as Rebecca started walking again.

"We're going to get some fresh air," Rebecca answered, breathing in the clean, country air. AJ copied her, and she laughed when he inhaled a little too much and coughed it back out again. Suddenly, AJ shot out his hand, pointing to something across the yard.

"Caleb!" AJ squealed.

Rebecca looked up and, sure enough, saw Caleb across the yard. He had finished moving the hay and was now chopping some firewood for Jack. "Do you want to go say hi?" Rebecca asked, looking back down at AJ and brush some of his dark hair out of his eyes. AJ nodded his head eagerly, and started to squirm in her arms. She set him down on his feet, and the toddler took off running toward Caleb, hollering his name.

Rebecca watched as Caleb stopped mid-swing and looked up to see who was calling him. A huge grin split his face when he saw AJ running toward him and he dropped the ax. AJ ran into his arms and the cowboy picked the little boy up and spun him around in the air. The two-year-old's laugh was loud and brought a smile to Rebecca's face as she watched. Seeing her little boy so happy with Caleb, warmed her heart. AJ didn't know what he was missing by not having a father in his life. Though, Rebecca worried about what she would say when AJ got older and started asking questions about his real father, but she would deal with it then.

"Mommy!"

Rebecca broke out of her thoughts and looked up. AJ was standing in front of Caleb with his hands on the ax, Caleb had been using. He waved at her, then turned back to what he was doing. With Caleb's help, they lifted the ax and then heaved it down on the log. It split into two, and both pieces clattered to the ground. AJ's face was a mix of excitement and pride and he ran over to Rebecca when she approached.

"Mommy, see that?" he said, excitedly. He pointed back to the wood pile and then ran back over to it. AJ began swinging his arms like his still held the ax, showing her what he had done. "Chop it. Wood fall down. We did it!"

"And you did so good," Rebecca praised, holding her hand out for a high-five. AJ slapped her hand energetically, and it actually stung a little. "Ow." AJ giggled and covered his mouth with his hand as Rebecca shook it out.

"Hi, AJ," came Georgie's voice as the fourteen-year-old walked up to them. She still wore her book-bag on her back, since she'd just gotten off the bus. AJ gave her a small wave and preceded to go into the whole story of chopping the wood in his two-year-old babble. "Wow, that sounds so cool." AJ's smile got even bigger when the older girl complimented him.

"Where is everybody else?" Georgie asked Caleb and Rebecca.

Rebecca shrugged, while Caleb answered, "Jack's in the barn, Lou is picking up Katie from school, then picking something up for dinner. Oh, and Peter is working."

"Okay," Georgie started to skip off to the barn, but stopped and turned back around. "Hey, AJ, do you want to help me brush Phoenix?" When AJ nodded enthusiastically, Georgie looked at Rebecca. "Can he?"

Rebecca nodded. "Yeah, AJ, you be good and listen to Georgie," she told him.

"Ok, mommy," AJ said as Georgie took his hand.

"We'll be along in a few minutes!" Rebecca called as the two started walking to the barn. Caleb's arms snaked around her waist, causing her to jump a little.

"Now, that they're gone..." Caleb whispered, nuzzling her neck.

Rebecca ducked away and turned around to face him. "Really? After getting busted by Jack in the kitchen, you're still in the mood?" she questioned him.

"Hey, I can't just turn it off," Caleb said, with a grin. "Especially, when you come around looking like you do."

Suppressing a grin, Rebecca smacked his arm. "Ok, first, I'm wearing sweats right now. Second, we are in the middle of a ranch, with Jack right inside the barn." she told him.

Caleb seemed to think about it for a minute, until Rebecca hit him again, laughing a little. "Okay, okay," Caleb laughed. "But I am glad we're alone, because there was something else I wanted to ask you." Rebecca placed her hands on his arms, which were still around her waist, as she waited for him to continue.

"Well,..." Caleb cleared his throat, then continued, "We've been going out for about two years now, and I think it's time, we took our relationship to the next level. I want you and AJ to move in with me."

Rebecca tried, and failed, to stop the laugh that burst out of her. A look of confusion and hurt flashed across Caleb's face, so Rebecca hurried to explain. "I'm sorry, it's just—did you really say you want me and a two-year-old to move into your rinky-dink trailer, no offense?"

"Well, maybe, not the trailer," Caleb said, after thinking for a moment. "But we could find an apartment together? I'm ready to move on to the next phase of my life and I want you and AJ to be a part of it."

Rebecca smiled, not wanting to hurt him. "I really do appreciate the offer," Rebecca said, and she could see his face start to fall. She reached up to touch his face. "But I think it's time I stood on my own two feet. This arrangement, me living at Heartland, was only supposed to be temporarily. I need to start providing for my son. I've saved up enough money now to pay for a decent apartment. In fact, I've talked to somebody, who has two available rooms and she agreed to let me come look at them. I was hoping you'll come with me?"

"I want to help you in anyway that I can," Caleb replied. "You're not alone in this."

"I know that," Rebecca said. And she did. Caleb had been amazing these past two years, not once did he say he'd had enough. During that the first week after AJ was born, Rebecca had been in a tough place, with Adam disappearing, and wasn't sure if she had wanted to be AJ's mother. Thanks to Caleb, she knew that she could raise AJ, with or without help. "But this is something I have to do. I need to know I can still take care of myself and a child. But, just because we're not moving in together, doesn't me we can't have sleepovers. I mean, I think AJ would be disappointed, if he didn't get to see you everyday." She bit her lip, hoping Caleb took the hint. He did.

"Well, we can't disappoint that little kid," Caleb said, leaning in closer. They sealed it with a kiss, not as intense as before, but still as sweet and passionate. They didn't stop until they heard Phoenix snort loudly from inside the barn, then AJ's little voice.

"Ew! Horsie boogies!"

Rebecca and Caleb laughed, and they started walking toward the barn to see the fun they were missing out on. Their arms stayed around each other, Rebecca even rested her head on Caleb's shoulder as they walked. She was so happy and content, she didn't want this feeling to go away.

A/N: How was it? Please review, and tell me your thoughts! :)