Cordell sat in the truck, watching the horses milling around in the holding yards. After they'd apprehended the horse thieves, the mustangs involved had been seized and impounded, being held in these tiny, overcrowded yards at the only currently functioning BLM corral to await their fate. All of the mustangs were three strike horses, meaning that they had been put up for adoption three times and each time, hadn't been adopted. They were out of chances. This was the end of the road for them. Without another chance at finding a home they only had one destination awaiting them; a long ride across the border to a slaughterhouse. Unless…

Leaning back in the seat, his eyes fell on the palomino pinto stallion that appeared to be the leader of the group. Too wild to be adopted, his papers had said. Everyone wanted him because of his unique coat and he'd had a lot of interest in him but when potential adoptees came to see him and saw that he was the wildest out of the bunch, no one wanted to take the time needed to train him properly. It was a shame, really. Even though Cordell didn't have experience personally working with mustangs he could visibly see that the stallion's behavior was normal for any wild stallion. They might be able to take a mustang out of the wild but they couldn't take the wild out of the mustang, especially not this stallion. For a moment the stallion looked towards his truck and their eyes met then with a snort, the stallion began prancing around the yard again, attempting to find a way out.

Even though what the horse thieves had done had been wrong, Cordell couldn't blame them for trying.

These horses didn't deserve to be loaded onto that one way truck next week.

They were young, strong, healthy horses. They just needed someone who was kind, patient and gentle to work with them and train them.

They needed someone like Maddie…

He looked over the rest of the horses in the yard with the stallion, a pretty buckskin filly catching his eye. She seemed calmer than the rest of the mustangs, choosing to nibble at the round bale of hay left in the center of the corral. Picking up the file he'd borrowed from the office he opened it to read through her file. Three strikes were against her, one for the adoptee withdrawing after choosing to take a different horse and then the other two times simply because no one wanted her.

Reading through the rest of the information on the mustangs he could easily identify the number one reason they had all failed to be adopted; no one wanted them. There just weren't enough people wanting to take on wild mustangs. No one wanted to deal with wild horses.

But Maddie would… Liam too.

Even though his brother had only had two sessions with the equine therapist, he had already been able to tell a difference with him. It had helped him, that was obvious to see. That uncomfortable talk he'd given him on Tuesday night had really made him stop and take inventory of the last couple months. Liam was right with everything he had said. The only problem he had now was what to do about it?

Closing the file again he laid it down on the passenger seat beside him, turning his attention back to the mustangs. There were thirteen of them, the paint stallion, six mares, two two-year-old fillies, a yearling colt and three foals; and they were all headed to the slaughter house across the Mexican border come Monday morning unless a miracle happened in the meantime.

It wasn't a solution to his problems with Liam and Maddie but maybe, maybe, helping these mustangs could help them. What else could he do? He didn't know. He'd been pondering over it the past couple of days without finding any answers. One thing he knew though was that someone had to put their hand up to help these mustangs before it was too late for them.

The paint stallion came around closer to his truck again and stopped, looking at the truck with pricked ears as he rolled the window down. The stallion was a majestic beast, his long white mane cascading down his muscular neck. Their eyes met again and the longer Cordell looked at him, the deeper the pull he felt towards that stallion. He knew how he felt. He knew what it felt like to be taken from his home, to be held captive. To be unable to protect his family.

The stallion snorted, tossing his head up and down at him then with a quick motion, darted back into his herd.

Cordell's mind was made up.

Come hell or high water, those mustangs were coming home with him.

For the first time since Maddie had come home, she actually felt safe.

Even though she'd only had Sasha a couple days now, the dog was already having a huge impact upon her life and for the better. Sasha stayed by her side no matter where she went, the dog providing her with a sense of security she'd been craving all this time. In Sasha she found safety. Comfort. She now had someone she could whole-heartedly rely on without fear of being judged or worry that she was being a burden to them.

For the first time since she had been home, Tuesday night, with Sasha there with her, Maddie had finally been able to sleep the night through.

Having a service dog living in the house was going to pose some challenges though, the main ones being that for her to be able to carry out the tasks she'd been trained to do, changes needed to be made. Already they were beginning to make those adjustments for her, adding tug ropes onto all the door handles in the house and onto the drawers in Maddie's bedroom that she needed to be able to access. With even that simple addition it made life easier for Sasha was able to go ahead and open doors or bring her items that she asked for from her drawers.

The hardest hurdle to get over had been Bonham but thankfully, Abeline had that one under control and he'd agreed (albeit a bit begrudgingly) that the dog could stay.

Maddie had spent Wednesday working with Sasha, taking the first steps to really cement their partnership. Under Chelsea's instruction via zoom and the list of tasks and commands she'd provided her, they were well on their way to becoming an unstoppable team. Sasha knew practically everything a service dog would ever need to learn, now it was only a matter of Maddie learning how to be able to use what she had been taught.

Thursday morning Chelsea dropped in to see how things were going and to also bring some items for Sasha that her old owner had passed to her to be given along. In addition to a bed, bowls, leashes, collars and a rug, she'd also been given a proper mobility harness and cape set for Sasha to wear when she needed to. Before she went, Chelsea gave her some one-on-one training time with her, teaching her the last few things that Maddie needed to know about Sasha.

Together, Maddie knew they could do anything.

For the first time since captivity, she actually felt like she had a reason to live.

Being given Sasha had opened up a world she'd thought would be closed to her forever.

Stella sat waiting in the car park for August after school, scrolling through Facebook for a moment before putting her phone away and resting back against her chair. Over the past few days she had really given what August had said Monday morning and the conversation she'd had with Maddie Tuesday evening some thought and came to the conclusion that they both were right. She'd never realized beforehand how August felt having her overshadowing him his whole life. Granted, the way he was expressing his annoyance at that wasn't the right way to point it out but she couldn't blame him. If she were in his position, she'd probably feel the same way too.

The bell rang, students beginning to file out into the carpark and she took a deep breath as she spotted August walking towards her. 'So…' She started as he tossed his backpack into the back seat. 'How was school?'

'It was school.' He replied grumpily as he opened the passenger door and climbed in. 'Now, can you just drive me home, please?'

'No, actually, I can't.'

'Uh, yeah, Stella,' He glanced at the line up behind them. 'there-there's cars behind us. We kinda have to go. Yeah, why-why…' He raised an eyebrow as Stella pulled their fathers bobblehead out of the glovebox and placed it onto the dash. 'why do we need Dad's bobblehead?'

'Because Mum gave it to him when she taught him to drive stick in this car, and Dad did the same when he taught me. It's kind of like a Walker family tradition. And now, since it's your turn…' Her voice trailed off as she let him figure out what she was getting at.

'Wait, do I get to drive the car?' He questioned with a hopeful smile.

'Slide over.' Her brother chuckled as she got out of the car and he moved over into the driver's seat as she got into the passenger side. 'Just remember to slowly ease off the clutch, like I showed you.'

'Yeah, yeah, yeah.'

'And no,' Stella added as he turned the key in the ignition. 'you still can't have my room.'

Bonham, Liam, Stella and Maddie were gathered around the barbeque later that afternoon, preparing dinner for the night when Cordell drove up the drive in one of their big trucks with their biggest horse trailer attached to it.

'Good Lord, Cordell.' Bonham remarked beneath his breath, placing the lid down on the barbeque as Cordell pulled up, the sounds of horses' whinnying coming from inside the trailer. 'What the hell you thinking?' Parking, Cordell climbed out of the truck as he started towards his eldest son. 'We don't have any more stall space for ponies.'

'Uh, don't you worry, Daddy, they're not for you.' He replied, looking at his brother and daughter. 'They're for Liam and Maddie.'

Liam and Maddie looked at each other in bewilderment then he turned back to his brother. 'You-you're kidding, right?'

'No, I'm serious.' He told him, looking back at the trailer as Liam and Maddie came up beside him. 'You know, I've seen just how much equine therapy has been helping both of you, and I figured maybe a few more ponies couldn't hurt.'

'Dad, are they…' Maddie peered towards the trailer but couldn't make out the horses inside. 'Where'd they come from?'

'They are-they're the bunch of mustangs that had been stolen by the horse thieves we apprehended this week. Three strike horses.' Cordell played with his hat in his hands as he spoke. 'They were gonna be loaded up Monday morning to go across the border and I…' He let out a sigh. 'I just couldn't let that happen so…' He motioned towards the trailer. 'I-I know we don't have the space or facilities here to accommodate a mustang herd but I've already spoken with Colton and arranged to have them agisted on their ranch for the meantime.'

'You have no idea how perfect this is, the timing.' Liam said after a moment. 'I mean, my-my therapist is getting ready to move, but with these new horses, I mean, I could start a therapy program at the Davidson's barn.'

'That's a hell of a lot to take on, a lot to... a lot to learn.' Bonham pointed out. 'Those mustangs are gonna take a lot of work and training before they'd be ready for that kind of thing.'

'It's worth a shot, right? I mean… After all, we do have the winning Mustang Makeover horse trainer right here.' He patted Maddie's shoulder and the teen chuckled. 'Surrounded by experts, you know. And, Stella,' Liam turned to his other niece. 'You have experience with horses, Rocky, working with Bel and Dakota these past couple months. I mean, you could be a part of this, too. We could be Walker Rescues.'

'Yeah.' Stella nodded, liking the sound of that. 'Gale Davidson said she was gonna start a horse rescue. Why not make good on that promise?'

'I got to go check the smoker.' Bonham commented after a moment. 'Stella, give me a hand would you please? Last thing we want is to be eating blackened boot leather for dinner.'

'Sure Grampa.'

Bonham and Stella left, leaving Cordell with Liam and Maddie. 'Ah, Maddie…' Cordell crouched down in front of her wheelchair, giving Sasha a pat when the dog moved closer to him. 'I… I owe you an apology, sweetheart.'

Maddie frowned a little. 'What for Dad?'

'For-for not being here. For you.' He replied softly. 'I-I know you've been struggling these past couple months and I should have been here for you and I wasn't. I-I don't have any excuses for it. You deserve a father better than I have been-'

'Dad.' She cut him off gently. 'I'm gonna stop you there. You are a great father.' She told him, looking into his eyes. After a moment, he looked away from her and she reached out to take his hand in hers. At her touch, he looked back at her. 'You are the only man on earth I would ever want to call Dad. You were the first one who really showed me what it's like to be loved. Cared for. When I've needed you in the past, you've always been here for me.' She paused for a moment. 'What we went through together, in there, we've all been scarred by it. There is no point comparing our experiences, it was hell for all of us in its own respective ways. What matters is that we pull together, not break apart. Grampa reminded me the other day that this is what family is for. Family sticks together through the hard times. We don't have to go through things alone.'

Maddie paused again as she saw her father becoming emotional. 'I can't imagine what you've been dealing with and I'm not gonna try but I'm here for you Dad, regardless. I will always be here for you.' She let that sink in for a moment, rubbing the back of his hand gently with her thumb. 'I love you Dad.'

Cordell swallowed the lump in his throat, struggling to keep his voice even as he replied to her. 'I love you too.'

She smiled a little then held her arms out to him for a hug and closed her eyes as he held her tight. The first real hug he'd given her since they'd come home. 'And I forgive you…' She whispered, hugging him back with everything that she had. 'You are the best Dad a girl could ask for.'

Liam, standing nearby, felt tears coming to his eyes as he watched their exchange. For someone who had been through so much, Maddie still had a pure and kind heart. Thank you. He prayed in his mind to God, appreciative that finally, it seemed like things with Cordell and Maddie were on the mend.

Cordell didn't trust his voice to reply and instead just rubbed her back.

After a moment, Maddie opened her eyes again. 'I'm gonna go take a look at the horses.'

'Okay. Okay baby girl.'

'We're gonna get through this.' She added as he let her go. 'Somehow, we will find a way through. We always do.'

'Yeah.' He cleared his throat. 'Yeah, we do.'

Maddie smiled up at him, squeezing his hand gently for a moment before she let it go. 'Come on Sasha, let's go say hello to the new ponies.'

Cordell watched her leave, swallowing back the lump in his throat. Liam was right. He didn't deserve to have a daughter like Maddie. Gaining his composure, he turned back to his brother and stopped him before he could leave. 'Hey, stinker, uh,' He cleared his throat. 'hang back a sec.' He requested as Maddie wheeled herself over closer to the trailer, Sasha trotting happily alongside her. 'Uh... Hey.'

'Hey. Cordi, thank you.' Liam said as he placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. 'Truly, I…'

'You're welcome.' He replied when Liam trailed off.

'I don't know what I…'

'No, you don't-you don't have to... you don't have to... you don't have to say anything. You don't have to do anything.' Cordell assured him. 'I want to say something. I, um... I want to help you. Of course I do. I just don't always know how. You know? And I know this may not be what you wanted from me, but I'm-I'm hoping it's what you needed. Just do me a favor and take it slowly. And please, watch over Maddie. What you said the other night… You were right. I haven't been here for her. For you. Just… Don't let her do anything she's not capable of yet. Last thing we need is more stress right now.'

'Yeah…' Liam agreed, looking down at the ground.

After a moment, he continued. 'I-I know you're still, uh... I know you're still struggling, little brother.'

'Thank you, big brother. I, uh, I do need this.' He said, turning back to him. 'I can't keep relying on you to make me feel better.'

With that, Liam walked off to go join their father and Stella at the barbeque, leaving Cordell to wonder what he meant by that. After a moment he walked over to join Maddie at the trailer, his daughter sitting a distance back with her dog watching the mustangs inside.

'We should go let them out.' Maddie remarked, looking up at him as he joined her. 'They're getting quite worked up.'

'Yeah, yeah. We ah-yeah, we should.' He nodded in agreement. 'I think everyone else is busy with dinner-' He glanced back over his shoulder to confirm that then looked back down at her. 'so, why don't you and I go take them to their new home?'

'Sure.'

'Great. I'll ah-I'll just go let them know then we'll go.'

Maddie nodded and Cordell left again, the teen patting Sasha sitting beside her. 'What do you think, girl?' She questioned the dog softly, looking at the mustangs. 'Want to come along?'

Sasha whined softly, placing her head down on her knee while wagging her tail.

She chuckled. 'I take that as a yes. Come on then.'

Sasha bounded alongside Maddie as she wheeled herself over to the passenger side of the truck and opened the door, the dog jumping up onto the passenger seat then hopped into the back. Carefully and holding onto the side of the truck, Maddie stood. It was heartening that she was getting stronger, when Tilly had come for her PT earlier that afternoon she'd been pleased with the progress that she'd been making. Though she'd come a long way, she still had a distance to go yet.

'You got it?' Cordell questioned as he returned, seeing his daughter attempting to climb into the vehicle.

'Yeah, I got it.' She assured him with a smile. Carefully and with a lot of effort she finally managed to get into the truck on her own, turning back to her father with a huge grin on her face. 'I'm getting stronger Dad.'

'I-I can see that.'

'Well, what are you waiting for? Put my chair in the back and let's go. I want to see these pretty ponies.'

With a chuckle Cordell did exactly that, placing Maddie's wheelchair into the back of the truck before hopping into the driver's seat.

'How was your day?' Maddie questioned, resting her head back against the headrest as they drove over to the Davidson's ranch. 'Catch any bad guys?'

'Did nothing but paperwork all day.'

'Ugh. I couldn't imagine anything more boring.'

'All part of the job. Can't be out running down crooks all the time.'

'Yeah, I guess not.' She agreed.

'How… How did your PT go today?' Cordell questioned after a moment's silence.

'Good. Really good. All the hard work is finally paying off. Tilly says I still have a long way to go but I'll get there. And now that I have Sasha-' Hearing her name, the dog poked her head between the headrest and the side of the truck, Maddie chuckling softly as she scratched beneath her chin. 'I'll be able to have her help me walk too.' After a moment though, she sobered. 'Dad… I-I know you haven't been able to make it to any of my appointments lately but… You know I have those scans coming up soon. You-you'll come with me to them, won't you?'

'I won't make any promises, but I will try.'

'That's good enough for me.' She exclaimed as they drove onto the Davidson's property, Cordell driving the truck around to the large back pasture. Reversing up to the gate, Cordell parked and the two of them got out, Maddie leaving Sasha in the truck for the moment.

Once the gate had been opened, Cordell turned back to Maddie. 'Ready?'

'Ready.' She nodded, having taken a position on the opposite side of the trailer to be able to help him open the door. 'Three.'

'Two.'

'One.'

The mustangs inside flooded out of the trailer the moment the door opened, the pinto stallion galloping at the front of the herd as they bolted away from the trailer. Cordell joined Maddie, placing his hand on her shoulder as they watched the horses run free, Maddie looking up at him with a smile for a moment before looking back at the mustangs.

The mustangs had finally found a home.