Chapter 10

Marion strode across the yard, heading toward the barn, a million thoughts running through her mind. She had just got off the phone with Lily, who asked her and Amy to come over, and if Amy could stay the night. She said something happened, but didn't want to say it over the phone; she sounded upset. She walked into the barn to find Amy grooming Spartan. When she entered, Amy looked at her curiously.

"We need to go over to Lily's," Marion told her, "and you're going to stay overnight. Something's happened."

Amy immediately stopped running the brush through Spartan's mane and put the grooming kit away. While she was doing that, Marion let Spartan into the smaller back field.

They both set off to the house, Amy slightly ahead of Marion. She ran up the stairs and quickly packed an overnight bag, hoping she had everything.

The ride to Mountaincreek Ranch was silent. Amy was worried, and so was Marion. Once the truck was parked, Marion tapped Amy on the shoulder after she noticed that she was staring into the distance.

"We're here," Marion murmured.

Amy nodded in response, she had a feeling in her gutting telling her something happened - to someone. She got out of the truck and grabbed her bag, then waited for Marion before they walked up to the house together. They were greeted by a tear-stained-faced Lily.

Marion immediately rushed to Lily's side and led her into the kitchen. Meanwhile, Amy quietly closed the front door and then followed them. She was shocked at the sight she saw in the kitchen; Lily was sobbing into Marion's shoulder while Marion was trying to console her.

When Lily calmed down, she began to tell Amy and Marion what had happened. Both of them were shocked, and upset, to hear that Ty's great-grandmother, Addison, passed away because of a stroke only a few hours previously. Both of the Fleming women stayed in the kitchen for some time with Lily, before she told her to go see Ty, who was in his bedroom since she and Brad broke the news to him.

Amy knocked softly on Ty's bedroom door. She heard feet shuffling against the floorboards at the far side of the room, and then they came to a stop. She sighed. She knew this would be hard for him, he had told her about the stroke Addison has last spring, and how it affected him. She slowly opened the door and saw that Ty was sitting on his window seat. He had his knees were tucked under his chin, and his arms were wrapped around his body; he was probably staring out the window.

"Ty," she murmured, making sure he knew she was there.

After getting no reply, Amy walked into the room, closing the door after herself, and quietly walked over to Ty. When she reached him, she wrapped her arms around him. Ty leaned his body into hers, seeking the quiet comfort Amy was offering.

Soon, Ty's whole body was shaking. He couldn't hold back the pain anymore, he needed to let it out. Feeling the need of having Amy close to him, he stood up and wrapped his arms around her, burying his head into her neck. Amy held him close as she ran one of her hands up and down Ty's back in a soothing rhythm. She could feel the tears that were slipping down Ty's cheeks fall onto her collarbone.

"It's going to be okay," she murmured, "she's not in pain anymore, Ty, okay?"

Ty nodded into the crook of her neck.

"You've got to remember what kind of happy life she lived Ty. A long, very happy life with an amazing family."

"I know," Ty hiccuped from crying, "I just miss her so much, Mia."

"I know," Amy murmured into his hair. "Just try to relax, you're going to get a headache," she kissed his forehead.

She led Ty to his bed and made him sit down, then she handed him the bottle of water that was sitting on the bedside table and told him to drink it bit by bit.

"Will you be alright on your own for a few minutes?" She asked him softly after a moment.

Ty nodded his head, so Amy got up and walked out of his room and went downstairs to the kitchen.

Neither Lily or Marion were there. Amy didn't think about it too much, knowing they were around somewhere. She got some white bread out of the press along with Nutella. She popped two slices of bread into the toaster and the proceeded to get butter and strawberry jam out of the fridge. When the toast was done, she put Nutella one one slice and butter and jam on the other. With everything put away, Amy took the plate in her hand and walked back up to Ty's bedroom.

Ty looked at her curiously when she came in and groaned internally when he saw the plate. He knew he had to eat, but he really didn't want to. He sighed as he took the plate from Amy and slowly took a bite of toast.

(x)

Amy kissed Ty's forehead as she put a blanket over his body. He head fallen asleep while Amy was playing with his hair. She shut the door to his room and went downstairs. After not eating all day, she was quite hungry. She heard voices in the living room, and went to investigate. She saw Lily and Marion sitting on the couch talking quietly. She cleared her throat and the two women look up.

"Ty's asleep," she informed. "Do you want something to eat?"

"Actually, yes please, I wouldn't mind to eat something," Lily smiled lightly.

Marion shook her head with a small smile on her face, "I'm fine honey, but thank you."

Amy got the ingredients and pasta ready, and started to make mac 'n' cheese. When it was done, she dished it out into bowls and grabbed two spoons from the cutlery drawer.

"Here," Amy said softly as she gave Lily one of the bowls.

"Thank you," Lily replied, picking up the spoon.

A few minutes later, Marion got up, causing both Amy and Lily to look up.

"I should go back to the ranch," she informed them. "Call me if you need anything, okay?" she asked Lily; Lily nodded in response. "And you, you be good," she said to Amy, kissing her head.

"Yes mom," Amy responded automatically, eating some of her mac 'n' cheese.

Amy noticed Lily was just playing around with the pasta in her bowl, so she got up and went to sit next to Lily. Seeing the tears in Lily's eyes, she placed her own bowl onto the coffee table, and wrapped her arms around her.

"It's going to be okay," Amy whispered, running her had soothingly up and down Lily's back. She could feel tears hitting the side of her neck.

"I know," Lily croaked, "I'm trying to be strong for the boys, for Ty, but it's so hard."

(x)

Ty walked down the stairs, and just as he was stepping off the last step, he saw Amy and Lily on the couch. He could see that his mom was crying, and Amy was comforting her. Even though he was missing his great-grandmother terribly, h is heart swelled with love for his girlfriend. Just seeing her calming Lily, really let him know that Amy wasn't going anywhere, that she loved his family nearly as much as he himself did; deep down, he knew that Amy was the one, the girl he was going to spend the rest of his life with.

Hey Heartlanders. I hope I've done this chapter justice. It's very personal to me and was very difficult to write. I do have an idea of what will be happening in the rest of the story. If anyone needs anything, feel free to private message me, send it an ask/submisson/message on tumblr (heartland-and-beyond) or instagram (heartland_and_beyond). Til next time, Elle.