A/N I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING!! Sorry for this late update. For those of you who don't know, my beta was in the process of moving and couldn't get these back to me in time for my regular post on Saturday. But here is this chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.

The next couple days passed by and everything was going perfect. Kris loved living with Jean again. She finally felt like she was home again. After all this time, she no longer regretted coming home and Matt was so happy to see her happy. He and his mom were getting along. When she got some free time she helped Kris and Matt with their horses. Everything was just going perfectly.

One afternoon, Jean didn't have any dude ranchers to take care of so she offered to help Matt and Kris.

"Nakya is so hyper today." Kris said as she and Lance tried to get him under control.

"Why are you racing him? Why not do another horse?" Jean wondered.

Matt shrugged. "He's got something special in him. I just need to race him one more time to be sure."

Jean smiled and nodded. "What can I do?"

""Uh, just watch Nakya run for a bit. I need to go prep Flame, and Kris is going to get one of the other horses ready."

Jean smiled and nodded. Kris and Matt walked away.

Just a few moments later they were both on their way back. Nakya was still not calming down. Kris and Matt looked up just in time to see Nakya rear up and knock Jean in the chest.

"MOM!" Matt screamed.

"JEAN!" Kris screamed at the same time.

They both rushed over to her and knelt down by her unmoving body. Matt checked for a pulse and tried to wake her. "Mom, Mom, Mom? Mom! MOM!"

"Someone call 911." Kris ordered.

These past few months Matt had really been there for her, now it was her time to be there for him. As scared as she was, she had to be brave for Matt.

After what felt like forever the ambulance showed up and Jean was packed up and taken away. Kris drove both him and herself to the hospital. Along the way Matt called Junior and Pablo to tell them what happen.

It felt like forever before a doctor finally came out. "It seems the horse got her in the chest. For right now all we see are some broken ribs but we are keeping her sedated until we can figure the rest of it. I'm sorry but only family is allowed to visit right now."

Kris sighed as the doctor walked away. "Go, I'll be right out here for you."

Matt inhaled and exhaled a shaky breath. He went into his mom's room.

"Kris!"

Kris turned and saw Pablo and Junior rushing over. "What happen?" they both asked.

"She was training one of the horses and she got kicked. Right now it's just a few broken ribs but they're running some more tests just to be sure. Only family is allowed in with her right now. So Matt's in there."

"Are you ok?" Junior asked.

Kris shrugged. "I'm fine."

"Come on, Kris, we both know you better than that." Pablo said.

Kris sighed. "I'm not fine but I have to be for Matt, he needs me to be strong right now and that's how I'm going to be."

Pablo and Junior sighed.

"How did you even get here so quickly, Junior? I thought you were out of town?"

"Are you kidding? You and Matt are my best friends the second Matt told me what happen I rushed back here."

Kris smiled softly. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

They hugged gently Matt walked out of the room.

"How is she?" Kris asked.

"Sleeping peacefully." Matt answered.

"How are you?" Junior asked.

Matt shrugged. "I'll let you know when I figure it out."

Kris rubbed his back. "I'm here if you need me."

Matt pulled her into a hug. "Right now I just need you not to leave me." He whimpered into her hair, soft enough so only she heard him.

He knew as man he felt like he couldn't cry in front of Junior and Pablo, but he knew he didn't have to hide from her. She rubbed his back and held him tighter. "I'm right here, Baby, I'm not going, anywhere I promise."

Matt pulled away and rubbed his eyes to force back tears.

"It's going to be fine, Matt. Your mom is going to be fine." Junior said.

Matt just nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak. He had no father, his mother was all he had and if he lost her…the thought alone made him want to throw up.

Everyone stayed for as long as they were allowed. Thankfully they had been able to convince the doctor Kris was a daughter in law so she could stay with Matt through the night.

Once they were finally alone Kris looked to Matt. "How are you really doing?"

Matt just looked to her and his eyes welled with tears.

"Oh Baby," Kris cooed.

Matt buried his face into Kris's lap and just started to cry. He was honestly so scared he couldn't control. Kris just let him cry and rubbed his back as she stroked his hair.

"I'm here, I'm right here. Just let it out, let it all out. Shhhh I'm here." She cooed to him.

Matt just cried out all his fears and hurt and Kris let him. He had done it for her so many times before no she got to do the same for him.

After a few minutes he looked up to her. "Thank you." His voice was weak but she just smiled softly and wiped away his tears.

"Anytime. I love you, I promise I'll be here through this entire thing."

"You know…you're the first person who hasn't tried to tell me that it's all going to be ok. I'm thankful for that."

Kris nodded. "I know how annoying it gets when everyone tells you it's going to be ok when deep down you don't believe them and deep down you know it's anything but ok. When your mother is in the hospital it's scary and no matter what anyone says it doesn't comfort you."

Matt sighed. "I'm such an idiot. I'm so sorry, Kris. I've been so concerned with my feelings I didn't even consider yours. I know how close you and my mom have gotten. This has to be just as hard for you as it is for me."

"I'm fine, Matt."

"Yeah? Because you're eyes tell a different story."

She sighed. "Matt, I'm fine."

"Kris, this isn't a situation where one of us needs to be strong and the other gets to be weak. You're allowed to be hurt by this and show it. If you let me, we can comfort each other and help each other through this difficult time."

Tears filled Kris's eyes. "It's not fair how you do that."

Matt chuckled. They pulled each other closer and just held each other tightly as they both cried together scared for their mother's life. Kris had already lost one mother, she couldn't handle losing another.

After a couple minutes a nurse came over to them. "I'm sorry to interrupt but your mother is awake and asking for you."

Kris and Matt pulled away. He nodded softly and kissed Kris on the head. "I'll be right back."

She just nodded softly and watched him walk into the room. She sighed. Matt was right, she was way more scared than she let on and she couldn't wait till she was allowed in to see Jean. Yeah, sure, the nurses said she was ok, but she needed to see for herself that it was true.

Matt suddenly appeared. "Kris, Mom is looking for you."

Kris smiled and stood up. She followed Matt into the room. Jean smiled softly. "Hey, there is my girl."

Kris choked back tears. Her mother never called her 'my girl' before and it felt really nice to hear it from Jean. Kris smiled and went over to her and took her hand. "Jean, are you ok? I'm so sorry. I should have stayed with you. I knew Nakya was different towards strangers. I should have stayed with you and Lance. He listens to me. I'm so sorry, you're hurt and it's all my fault."

"No, it's not, it's mine. I brought these horses into RainTree without knowing their background. I put you in a positon to get hurt. I'm so sorry!" Matt cried.

"Both of you listen to me, this wasn't either of your faults." She looked to Matt first. "Those horses needed a home, you were right to adopt them." Then she looked to Kris. "Look at it from the horses point of view. He came from an abusive owner. Of course he's going to have trouble trusting people. I don't blame him for this. It wasn't his fault. I don't want either of you to, either. Understand?"

Kris nodded softly. Matt nodded too. "I love you so much, mom."

"I love you, Jean." Krs choked out.

"I love you both too."

Matt and Kris gently hugged Jean and pulled back.

"No, I'm going to be just fine. I'm a little tired but I'll be just fine. Now, I want you to two go home. The race is only a few days away and you need to get those horses ready."

"Mom, are you sure?" Matt asked.

Jean smiled and nodded. "Go, I'll just sleep most of the night and all of tomorrow anyway."

Kris sighed and nodded. "All right."

Matt was hesitant but with a little help from Kris they both left the hospital and went home.

The next morning Kris woke up early, well normal time, but decided to let Matt sleep. He was restless most of the night and needed to sleep in. She could handle the horses for a while till he woke up. She gently kissed his forehead and went to get ready.

Today was just racing Nakya. It was supposed to be pretty simple, but Nakya wasn't doing very good at all. It was like he didn't even care anymore. Kris sighed. It was later in the morning and she was getting frustrated quickly so she sent Lance to get Nakya some breakfast and take a break.

She wanted to check on Matt. She went to the house but noticed him sitting on the porch swing. He was rubbing his eyes and then ran his fingers through his hair and over his face. It was so clear he was still stressed about his mom. She was too, but she was using the horses as a distraction. Maybe she could convince Matt to help her so they could distract him too.

She went over to him and sat down next to him. "Did you sleep at all?"

"No, not really."

She rubbed his back. "Any word from the hospital today?"

Matt just shook his head. "All they will tell me is that she is improving. Internal damages don't show up on x-rays."

Kris sighed. "I'm sorry. I know how hard this is. Sometimes taking care of my mom meant taking her to the ER to get her stomach pumped. I know how scary it is when your mother is in the hospital."

Matt looked to her. "How are you holding up?"

Kris shrugged. "I'm trying hard not to think about it. Just focusing on the horses is helping. Would you like to help me, maybe take your mind off your mom, for a few hours?"

Matt sighed. "I can't. I'm sorry, I just…I can't."

His eyes filled with tears again and Kris pulled him into her.

"Shhh, it's all right, Baby. I can handle it. I just wish I could help you more."

"I don't know what I would do if you weren't here with me. Thank you for being here." He whimpered.

"You never have to find out. I love you so much, and I'll always be here for you."

"I love you too."

They kissed gently on the lips and Kris just held Matt for a few minutes, giving what comfort she could.

After a few minutes Matt pulled away and looked up at her. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

Matt kissed her forehead and got up and went back inside. Kris sighed. Sure she was having a hard time with this, but it was harder on Matt. Jean was really the family he had left. She knew the feeling of losing every family member you've ever had and it wasn't a good feeling. She just hoped Matt didn't ever have to feel that pain.

A/N Awww poor Matt :( What is going to happen to Jean? Will she be ok? Will Matt be able to focus on the horses in time for the race? Leave me your thoughts in a review.

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