I deserve some kind of award just for getting through last week. Thank you to the wonderful people who left reviews! That has made it all the more bearable.

Sam no longer needed adult supervision to work with Windy. He wasn't enough of a hazard to warrant it. Sam was proud of their accomplishments, obviously, but in a weird way she missed Jake's coaching. Another thing she could never admit out loud.

She caught Windy from the pasture and brushed him at the hitching post. That was something else he could do now- stand tied without choking himself out via the lead rope. It had been a long process- as had everything with Windy- but so, so worth it in the end.

Sam had one goal for this training session- lunging. Obviously, Windy had been started on lunging since basically Day One and he was actually pretty good at it, but that was just regular, in-the-round-pen stuff. Today, for something of a final test, Sam wanted to see how he would do in an open space.

Maybe it was a bold move, but Sam had faith in her little tumbleweed. He wasn't just obedient- he trusted her. She was almost certain that trust would get them through.

She coiled her lunge line neatly and grabbed a whip, just in case. Windy had never needed a whip in the round pen, but she was going to be prepared no matter what. She even considered grabbing a stud chain and some leg wraps before realizing how excessive that was.

Sam led Windy out to the spot she thought would be best, a relatively flat area near the riverbank. She unspooled the lunge line and clucked, sending Windy trotting off to the right. He stepped high and pranced, showing off his beauty and confidence. He'd gotten taller since he arrived at River Bend. Sam barely even recognized him as the scared, skinny thing they'd picked up from the holding pens.

There were a few moments where he attempted to pull away, since he no longer had the outside boundary of the round pen, but Sam kept him in hand. Overall, Windy was actually really eager to please, and he stepped into a canter as soon as Sam asked him to.

"He's ready, you know."

Sam didn't react. She'd seen Jake approaching long before he said anything- he was quiet and stealthy, but he rarely escaped her notice. His statement didn't surprise her either. She knew Windy was ready. He had checked every box, mastered every skill. In every possible way, he was an equine model citizen.

It was Sam who wasn't ready. Saying goodbye had never come easily to her, and Windy might just be the hardest one yet. He wasn't a horse she'd known in passing or one her dad had picked out- Windy was hers, absolutely hers. He was proof that she could do it; he was her best friend. That wasn't something she could just walk away from, no matter how much she needed the money or needed the time.

"I'm not ready," Sam said out loud. It felt good to admit it, even if it was only to Jake, who had probably already known. She tugged on the lunge line, bringing Windy to a stop. His soulful eyes met hers, and Sam's heart squeezed a little together when she thought about sending him to a new home.

"You don't have much time left, Brat."

Jake was thirty feet away, but his words pierced right into her heart and soul. For whatever reason, it was easier to look at Windy than at Jake. Maybe because she would miss Windy more than she would miss Jake? Sam wasn't even sure if that was true.

She coiled up the lunge line. They were done training for the day; Windy had done beautifully. Sam almost wished he would knock her down or forget how to lope; it would be a fine excuse to keep him longer. It was unlikely, considering how hard they had both worked, but a girl could dream.

"I'll go through with it," Sam insisted. She had already promised it to herself, and that was the worst kind of promise to break. Not to mention she literally had no other option. "It's just not going to be easy."

"Tell me about it."

"Huh?" Sam finally made an effort to look at Jake. Everything looked the same- cowboy hat, jeans, Carhartt work shirt- so why did it feel so different? "You're going to miss him too, you mean?"

For a brief moment, Jake looked like a deer in the headlights, but then he shook his head. "No, I just know what it feels like, that's all."

Dr. Scott requested the Phantom be worked on last, which Sam thought was fair. The Phantom was most likely to cause the vet bodily harm by a substantial margin. This way, if something went wrong, Dr. Scott could just go straight to the hospital instead of laboring through other exams.

Everyone else was good for having their teeth floated, even Windy, who had never had power tools in his mouth before. Why did he have to be so good at everything? He was practically begging to be sold on.

There was no chance of that with the Phantom- either being good for the vet or being sold on. Despite his recent change of heart, he still promised to be a handful. As a rule, wild horses were not fans of injections or power tools in their mouths, and as far as the Phantom was concerned, he was absolutely still wild.

Sam did not voice these concerns to Dr. Scott. The poor guy was under enough stress already. She haltered the Phantom (he tolerated it very well, considering he fully knew something was up) and invited the vet into the paddock. "He's acting tamer, at least," Dr. Scott commented. "And he's recovered far better than I would have expected. The two of you have been very, very lucky."

"Oh, we know," Sam replied, although she didn't totally feel lucky. This summer had come with its fair share of distress.

"Alright, hold him as still as you can."

It was not a matter of physical strength. If it came down to that, Sam could already imagine herself being launched across the round pen, an outcome none of them wanted. Instead, she did her best to comfort and distract him, which was not easy when a needle was approaching his neck. Sam felt the Phantom's muscles bunch up, preparing to bolt, but by the grace of God he stood still while Dr. Scott injected him with sedative. He tossed his head, but it was too late- he would be getting sleepy whether he wanted to or not.

As the sedative kicked in, Dr. Scott examined the horse, starting with the knee that had caused him to be pulled from the range. Sam knew from her own inspections that the original gouge had faded to a thin silver scar, barely visible unless you knew what you were looking for. "Very, very lucky" was right.

"He looks great!" Dr. Scott exclaimed. "Like nothing ever happened- almost. He moves alright, too?"

Sam nodded. "Like a dream."

There was a lot more that could be said there, but the vet didn't need to know about the hours she'd spent watching the Phantom's gait, searching obsessively for any hitch in his stride. These days, she found nothing. He was back to who he was, just tame (ish) now, and with a penchant for kicking dogs.

Dr. Scott paused, like he wasn't quite sure what to say. Sam assumed he didn't want to get in any trouble with Brynna. "If that's the case, then he's cleared for riding. Just, you know- sixty to ninety days of intensive groundwork first."

Sam's heart leaped. Truth be told, she'd barely even considered the possibility of getting on the Phantom again. She was just so happy he was alive, and slowly beginning to trust her again. Riding him again would be arguably more than she deserved.

"You mean that?" Sam asked, as it still seemed too good to be true. "It won't hurt him?"

"If you're really worried, we can do x-rays, but we have every reason to think he'll be just fine."

Sam shook her head. "It's not that I didn't believe you. It just seems like a miracle, that's all."

"I recommend you treat it like one."

The Phantom's head drooped almost to the ground, and Dr. Scott went in with the grinder. Sam winced even though she knew it didn't actually cause the horse any pain. "This isn't too bad, really," Dr. Scott commented. Sam was impressed he was able to make conversation in the middle of the procedure. "Looks like he's around seven-to-ten, and considering he's never been floated, he doesn't have much for points or spikes."

Oh, right. Dr. Scott knew Sam had a connection with the Phantom, but he didn't know (or perhaps didn't believe) that he had once been Blackie of River Bend. No wonder he thought it would take Sam multiple months to get on him.

"Wild," Sam replied. All in all, she didn't really feel like getting into it.

On Saturday afternoon, Wyatt and Brynna left for a date. Old people romance was objectively gross, but it gave Sam a marvelous opportunity when you considered Gram and Cody had gone to the zoo. She was all alone, and it was the perfect time to do something stupid.

It should have been obvious now that Sam had not learned a single thing since last time.

The Phantom met her at the gate- that was something he did now, now that they were friends again. It gave her a lot more confidence for what she was about to do. She tussled his forelock and slid the halter over his nose, checking furtively down the driveway to make sure no one was coming home early.

Dr. Scott had said sixty to ninety days of training, but Sam figured that was more of a friendly suggestion. He didn't know her horse as well as she did. He didn't know what that horse had been through, both as Blackie and the Phantom. Sam decided that meant this was a good idea.

That said, she wasn't entirely sure how to proceed. She had never done something like this (a first ride that wasn't actually a first ride) without Jake by her side. The Phantom's original training felt like a million years ago- she'd been just a kid back then. She would have to make this up as she went.

She thought back to her more recent rides on the Phantom- that had been like magic, impossible to recreate in the round pen. Their bond wasn't ready for that yet. Sam couldn't imagine just jumping on him now, no tack and no control.

There had to be something in the middle, between absolute freedom and the safe, careful rides they'd had before the accident. Sam intended to figure out exactly what that was.

She looped the lead rope around the Phantom's neck and tied it back to the halter. The Phantom flinched, then stilled. As much as he might want to pretend otherwise, this wasn't actually anything new to him.

Sam stood at the Phantom's shoulder, comparing his height to hers. She'd vaulted onto his back a couple times, but getting that kind of air time usually required an adrenaline rush and a sense of desperation. If their goal was a quiet ride around the pen (or maybe even just a moment astride the Phantom- if that was all she got, she'd still be happy) perhaps it would be better to climb aboard via the fence.

It was a little bit awkward, but Sam locked the heels of her boots on the third rung of the fence and pulled the Phantom in line with her. He complied, standing parallel to the fence. Sam smoothed out his mane, in no hurry to get on. She was fairly certain the Phantom knew what she was asking for, but she wasn't interested in pushing him too far. That was the one lesson she'd managed to learn.

"Good boy, Zanzibar," she whispered. She awkwardly turned from her perch on the fence. Her leg was shaking as she reached it over the Phantom's back, but she didn't truly waver until a voice from behind her scared the shit out of her.

"Are you really, really sure that's a good idea?"

The Phantom spooked. Sam faltered. She hopped down from the fence, keeping a careful hold on her lead-rope-reins. "Jake!" she hollered, hands clenching into fists. "How do you always do that?!"

Jake, still on Witch and a good distance away, shrugged. "I think you just don't pay attention."

"I'm just not paying attention to you," Sam muttered under her breath. She'd gotten a lot better at spotting Jake before he snuck up on her, but she'd been really focused on the Phantom this time.

Jake trotted Witch up to the round pen, surveying the situation. Witch bared her teeth at the Phantom, who swished his tail in the vague threat of a kick. Those two had never gotten along.

"I'm not gonna yell at you, if that's what you think."

"That's what I was expecting," Sam replied, attempting to play it cool when in reality she was super embarrassed to be caught mid-leap of faith a second time.

He didn't argue. He just looped Witch's reins around the fence and climbed over it himself. "Let me help."

Three simple words, all easily definable, but Sam was stunned into silence. She opened and closed her mouth a couple times, wondering why on earth her heart was beating so fast. Eventually she found her words- well, one word. Sam said, "Okay."

"Not here."

Sam raised her eyebrows. Last time she had taken the Phantom from the round pen, it had been made into a national emergency, but now it was part of the plan?

Things had changed since then. They hadn't talked about it, but it had changed.

Jake held the gate open, and Sam led the Phantom through. There was undeniable unpleasant eye contact between Jake and the horse, but Sam chose to ignore it for the sake of her own mental health. If Jake saw a literal horse as a rival in any way, shape, or form, that was his problem, not hers.

Somehow, Sam knew exactly where they would end up. Knee deep in La Charla, boots kicked off on the shore. Was it safer or easier than getting on in the round pen? Maybe not. But it was where it had all started, and it seemed important to begin there for the second time too.

The Phantom splashed through the creek willingly- wild horses learned not to fear water. Besides, the water wasn't nearly as high as it had been last time he crossed it, and he'd had a bum leg that time, too.

Jake held the Phantom's head, an arrangement none of them were really pleased about. Sam stepped onto a rock, giving her the height she would need to swing a leg over the Phantom, but she didn't do that just yet. She was too stuck in the past to make that big leap forward.

She remembered- she was sure they were all remembering- the very first time she'd climbed aboard the Phantom. She'd been in this same river, maybe even on this same rock. Back then, it had been her bright-red muck boots instead of barefoot- that was an event they'd planned for weeks, not an impulse that was supposed to have zero witnesses. Sam had begged Jake for what felt like years to get on Blackie, promising that they were ready and she would do everything he told her to.

Maybe, as it turned out, they hadn't been ready then. But they were ready now. Sam was as sure of it as she possibly could be.

She locked eyes with Jake, giving him one last chance to change his mind about being a help instead of a hindrance. She knew he wouldn't. Jake was just like her- he kept his promises. And maybe, in some way, he felt he could erase the accident and San Francisco by giving them a fresh start now.

"You ready, Brat?" Jake asked quietly.

"It's up to him, not me," Sam answered, trying to keep her tone light. Old habits die hard, and nerves threaten to take over. It was so easy to picture the worst-case scenario, to remember exactly what it felt like to tumble over the Phantom's shoulder. Briefly, Sam considered the pros and cons of breaking a horse in a padded room or perhaps a bounce house. She did not mention any of those thoughts to Jake.

"Quit worrying. He's ready."

It was odd, really, how Jake's scolding actually made her feel better now. Another thing that had changed. He grounded her, or at the very least, distracted her from the tight bundle of nerves in her belly.

She took a deep breath. It came out a little shuddery, but she didn't back away. She'd gotten this far for a reason, and she wasn't just going to quit now. She leaned over the Phantom's withers and did a test run, putting a little weight on his back and hopping.

Good call- the Phantom spooked to the side, splashing both Sam and Jake. Neither of them complained, just adjusted the horse's position and tried again. A couple more test runs, and the Phantom held still without flinching. Sam petted his neck and looked to Jake for confirmation; he nodded. It was time, for real now.

Sam jumped, pushing on his withers for a little more momentum. When she got halfway up, her belly flopped over the Phantom's back, she paused. It certainly wasn't dignified, but it was a reasonable alternative to going too fast and overwhelming the Phantom.

When everyone's heartbeat had settled, Sam swung her right leg over the Phantom's hindquarters, pulling herself into a sitting position. Her heart sped right up again, and she grabbed a lock of his silver mane. This was real; this was happening. She'd never thought she'd be back in this place, but she was.

The seal was broken, and the nerves Sam had been feeling dissipated. Why had she been scared in the first place? Riding the Phantom felt more like coming home than anything else. Sam was exactly where she was supposed to be.

Forgetting the delicate nature and newness of everything, Sam wrapped her arms around the Phantom's neck. "Oh, good boy! You're the best!"

She could practically hear Jake rolling his eyes, but when he stepped away from the Phantom, there was a soft smile on his face. It made Sam's heart twist in a not-totally-unpleasant way, and she was glad she already had an excuse to be grinning like an idiot. She didn't want Jake to know the effect he had on her- nothing good would come of it.

"I'm sorry I didn't wait for you," Sam blurted out. He had given her more grace than she perhaps deserved for breaking their unspoken teamwork contract- twice.

"Don't be," said Jake, a full one-eighty from his usual stance on Sam apologies. "Pretty soon I'll be gone again, and you'll be doin' all this yourself anyways."

The grin dropped off Sam's face. "Why do you always have to bring that up?" she complained. "Right when things are going well, too! Why can't we just enjoy the summer, and try-"

She cut herself off, no longer sure where that sentence was going. Getting too vulnerable or saying something she couldn't take back wasn't "enjoying the summer" either.

"Maybe I'm just tryin' to get used to the idea."

"You've left before."

"It'll be different this time."

Why? Sam wanted so badly to ask why. The word stuck in her throat, along with a number of others threatening to spill out of her mouth. The truth- her version of it; she didn't know what Jake thought- had been bursting at the seams since the beginning of this chaotic, too-close summer.

In the end, Sam couldn't do it. Jumping on a half-wild horse was one thing, and telling her best friend she was going to miss him was entirely another.

"You suck," Sam told him, instead of any of the other things actually on her mind. It was like a cold drizzle after days of sweltering summer- relief. That was how things were supposed to be between them, none of that odd tension or heat.

Jake looked relieved too, although his expression was undeniably subtler than hers. "You suck more."

"Wow. How mature." But it was safer that way too. Sam jumped off her horse, causing the Phantom to spook a little- he'd been a saint this whole time, so he was entitled to a bit of misbehavior now. Sam figured it was better to spook him by getting off than by starting a violent splash fight with Jake, which was exactly what she intended to do.

"Hey!" he sputtered. River water dropped down from the brim of his cowboy hat. "What are you, five?"

"You just hate fun!"

Jake splashed her back. The water was cold as ice and honestly not very clean, but Sam didn't complain other than wiping her face with her arm. She was at a severe disadvantage here, since she refused to let go of the Phantom's rope and splash with both hands, but she still gave as good as she got. Actually, it kind of worked out to use the horse as a shield, but when it seemed that might result in one or both of them getting kicked, she went back to shielding the Phantom instead.

They were all soaking wet- yes, including the horse- when they finally decided to call time. Sam was shivering as she stepped out of the creek, but she couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun. She snuck a glance at Jake and he grinned at her, although she couldn't exactly say why.

It was good to mess around like that, like they were kids again. It made the whole other mess easier to bear.

As if to emphasize that point, Jake slugged Sam in the arm. "Thanks for that. Now I'm gonna have to ride home in wet clothes."

"Why don't you just lay out in the sun for a while?"

"Some of us like to keep our dignity."

Sam had known him for too long to play that card. "Right. Remember when I was seven and you were nine and-"

Jake groaned. "Shut up, shut up, shut up."

"But you were so cute in that little rat costume!" Sam teased. "Best Halloween ever. Squeak squeak!"

"God, I'm gonna kick your ass someday," Jake promised, but based on the hearty laugh that came after, he didn't really mean it.