AN: Sorry for how long it took for me to post this chapter. It's been a really long and tiring week. You would think that because it's the school holidays that you would have time to relax but no. Anyway, I finally was able to finish the chapter and hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 7

Amy sat in the kitchen, staring out the window, waiting for Jack to arrive home. It had been an hour since the last party guest had left and she was getting worried.

The sound of Lou's voice could be heard from the living room, telling Mallory that if she didn't clean up this mess, they were sending her straight back to her parents. Amy smiled as she heard Mallory quickly grab the bin bag Lou must have been holding out to her and start helping. Even though the young girl could get annoying once in a while, with her honest and talkative manner, Amy was glad she was staying at Heartland over the summer. She could add a bit of happiness that the ranch had been lacking for the past few months.

She almost laughed out loud as she remembered this morning when Mallory and her parents had stopped by to drop off all her things. Jack's face was priceless as he saw bag after bag being unloaded from the truck and Mallory just standing next to him talking without a breath like she usually does. Since Mr and Mrs Wells were leaving early the next day for the rodeo circuit Mallory moved in today.

Deciding she couldn't sit anymore, Amy grabbed her jacket and went outside. She was just wondering what to do when a loud whinny pierced the air. Walking over to the round yard, Amy could just make out the dark shape of Ruby's Flame running around in the pen. Reaching the fence she watched as the chestnut mare ran to the other side, noticing the movement. Sighing, Amy stood up on the railings to get a better view of her. The storm overhead hid the natural light that would have otherwise allowed her to see the horse, but the lights from the porch and barn worked almost as well.

Ruby had been here for the last two months and Amy, as patient as she was, was starting to get tired of the slow progress they were making. The mare would now let her brush her and walk her around the yard with a halter, but as soon as she saw anyone else or even a small movement, she would break the hold Amy had on her and run as far away from the disturbance as possible. The thing Amy couldn't figure out was that she never actually looked scared. If anything Ruby seemed distrustful of anyone and anything. It didn't help that she kept jumping the fence and running away every other week. Amy and Caleb spent most of their time trying to find her.

Watching the mare slowly calm down and relax, Amy wondered if this was the horse that she won't be able to help. She always feared that deep down she would encounter a broken horse that she just won't be able to mend. A shiver ran down her spine as an unnaturally cold gust of wind wrapped around her like an icy blanket.

Her depressing thoughts were interrupted when ruby's head suddenly jerked up high in the air and ran to the side of the round yard that was facing the road. Following her gaze Amy saw a pair of headlights appear. Smiling with relief, she jumped down off the railings and ran to the porch, where she noticed Lou and Mallory. Amy had told them about the strange phone call and they were curious to see what grandpa Jack had to say.

The three stood silently as the truck pulled up outside the house. For some reason Amy held her breath and the engine was switched off. The lights from the house didn't reach the truck's cabin, casting the occupant in shadow. She released her breath when she saw the driver's side door open and her Grandpa Jack step out. Starting towards the car Amy scolded him.

"Where have you been?!" she said, "We've been waiting hours! You just up and leave without any explanation leaving us to worry about if you're all right!"

Amy stopped halfway between the house and her grandpa who continued to stand behind the bonnet of the car. Hands on her hips, she glared at him, silently telling him to explain himself.

Jack was just about to say something when the passenger door opened. Amy, expecting her grandpa to be alone, stared with shock as a figure she thought she would never see again step out of the truck.

As Ty stood before her, all thoughts of her grandpa vanished from her mind. As the seconds passed, her shock turned to surprise which then turned to anger.

How dare he?! She thought, He left with only a note. No goodbye, no nothing. Just disappeared! And now here he was, back without so much as a phone call! It then registered to Amy that the stranger who talked to her grandpa during her party must have been calling about Ty.

Time passed, how much, Amy didn't know, as they stared at each other, one in anger the other in guilt. Finally, it was Mallory who broke the silence.

"Ty!" she yelled as she ran past Amy and threw her arms around him. Amy noted the wince of pain that crossed Ty's face as he returned the hug. It was then that she became aware of the bleeding cuts on his face and the scrapes on his knuckles. For some reason, she felt oddly satisfied that he was in trouble. At least he was suffering as much as she was from his absence.

Then when Mallory released him and slapped him in the stomach he hissed in pain. Suddenly the satisfaction she was feeling transformed in fear as she wondered how injured he actually was.

Somehow, Mallory didn't see the pain that Ty was in and started doing the thing she does best, talk.

"How you just leave us like that Ty! Do you know what you put us through!" she stood right in front of him, blocking most of Amy's view as he struggled for an answer.

"I'm sorry Mallory." He said to her, but he was looking at Amy while he spoke. Giving in, Mallory went in for another quick hug.

"I'm just glad you're all right." She said, then finally noticing Ty wrap his hand around his stomach in pain gasped.

"Oh Ty! You're hurt!" Mallory said as she tried to examine his face. She had no luck as Ty just pushed her off.

"I'm fine Mallory." Ty said, trying to get the young girl to stop worrying.

Hearing Jack snort, Amy turned her gaze to him. Mallory did the same.

"I tried making them go to the hospital but they refused." Jack said, finally waling out from behind the truck. Amy saw Lou out of the corner of her eye walk up and stop beside her.

"What do you mean by 'they'?" Lou asked, getting to the heart of the statement. Amy didn't even notice her grandpa's use of words but now that her sister pointed it out, Amy wondered to.

Before Ty or Jack could answer movement from inside the truck caught her eye. A girl, around Amy's age stepped out from the passenger side and walked up to stand just behind Ty. Jealousy flared up in Amy as she noticed how pretty the girl was. Obviously from the way she looked up at Ty, they were close. Her anger flared, causing her silence to be broken.

"You shouldn't have come back," she growled at Ty, ignoring the girl standing beside him, "You left." Then turning to Jack she continued heatedly, "You shouldn't have brought him back grandpa."

Before anyone could answer, Amy turned around and stormed back inside so no one could see the tears that had sprung up in her eyes. She didn't hear any footsteps behind her as she closed the door to her room.

...

Rebecca watched as the girl, Amy turned and walked back into the house. From what she had gathered, her brother liked her and when she saw the tears spring into Amy's eyes, Becca knew that she liked him too.

From what Ty had told her about this place, he had a good thing going on here. Anger flared as she thought about their father and how he had ruined both of their lives. Looking at these people and their obvious family bonds, an image of her mother flashed into her mind unbidden.

With her mother's death only five months ago and no other living relative, Becca had no choice but to move in with her dad, a person she had never met. Then on top of all that she found out she had a brother. If it wasn't for Ty she would have shut down with all the events that had happened. All that she had been through, losing a parent, meeting another she had never met, finding out she had a sibling then the sale of her most treasured possession...well, her new brother, kept her going. She had been an only child up until three months ago, and Becca was glad he came into her life when he did. He was the first one who made her smile after the accident, first one to lift her out of the dark depression that had swallowed her after that dark, dark day.

As lightning flashed above them, the wind picked up, making Rebecca wince as the icy air stabbed at her wounds along her arms and face. Shivering in her short sleeved t-shirt, she glanced longingly towards the house that seemed to ooze warmth. Jack, noticing the look spoke,

"Why don't we get inside and get you two fixed up." Nodding, Ty placed him arm around Becca and started up towards the door behind Mallory and Lou. Mallory kept glancing over her shoulder, throwing death glares at Becca. Hunching her shoulders in a defensive posture, Rebecca met the young girl's next glare with an angry and distrustful one of her own. She was satisfied when the girl kept her head facing forwards from then on.

Entering the house, the first thing the young girl noticed was the cosiness of the place. It reminded her a little of the cottage her and her mum lived in before the accident. With that thought, sadness started taking over. She quickly shook off that feeling and focused her attention on the present.

Jack led them into a living room of sorts where he they sat down while they waited for him to grab the first aid kit. Becca hunched her shoulders defensively and leaned closer to Ty when they were left alone with the two women.

The called Lou, had a mask on, so she couldn't really see what she was thinking but the younger one, Mallory, had waves of energy coming off of her that was practically screaming at her to get out and never come back.

Annoyed that this girl she had only just met already had it out for her, Becca broke the silence.

"Is there something you want to ask?" she practically hissed at her. Shocked at the venom in her voice, Mallory didn't answer. Instead it was Ty.

"Becca!" he said, exasperation lacing his voice. I could tell he was disappointed at my actions so I closed my mouth, deciding not to say the next snarky comment that had popped into my mind.

In the meantime, Mallory glanced between Ty and myself, her eyes narrowing. It was then that I realised why she didn't like me. Figuring that I was going to be here a while, I decided to keep the peace.

Shrugging off Ty's protective arm, I stood up and walked purposely towards the young blonde girl. Thrusting my hand out in front of me I said,

"We were never properly introduced. My name's Rebecca, ty's sister."

I waited as I saw shock and realisation dawn in Mallory's eyes. Watching as a large smile appeared on the girl's face, I hoped that her resentment towards me was gone. She stood up as well and quickly shook my hand.

"My name's Mallory," she answered joyfully, "Oh my gosh, your Ty's sister? I never knew he had one. Why haven't I heard of you? Are you staying here with Ty? That would be logical. Why didn't you tell us you had a sister?!" Mallory demanded, turning on Ty.

Wincing, he answered, "Didn't even know myself Mallory."

Immediately the girl with the nonstop mouth continued, "What happened to you guys? Looks like you were in a fight. You do know your bleeding right? Looks like it hurts. You're not sleeping in the loft with Ty are you? It's cold and dusty up there. You can sleep in my room with me. It's a double bed so you should fit. Jack's letting me stay here for the summer while my parent's tour with the rodeo. Can you believe they were going to send me to summer camp?! Have you ever been to summer camp?! Well, neither have I but I definitely didn't want to go. Luckily there was a spare room here. I just glad they didn't make me go with them. My dad signed this contract to perform music at the rodeos. It's so embarrassing. He even sung tonight, in front of all my friends! I had to dance with Jake just to stop people from seeing my red face. Can you believe it?"

Becca was thankful when Jack walked into the room. Mallory shut up and turned towards him. But, while the little motor mouth got on her nerves, Becca was starting to like her. She had a type of honesty and innocence about her that Becca couldn't help but like.

So, as Jack sat her back down and proceeded to clean and dress the wounds on her face and arms, Becca started thinking that maybe it won't be so bad here after all.