A/N – Back home for the time being which is at least a week but I'll be flying or taking short drives from now on I think. I remember writing this chapter and being very happy with it when I was done. I reread it again and I still like it.

Thanks for all the reviews and sorry for the delays.

Chapter 32

Amy beat Ty back to the ranch house in the evening by a half hour. Ty had sat all afternoon with Bert going over case files of current horses in the barns, and what they had on Boxer to date. He was as mentally tired as Amy was physically.

"Hard day son ?" Betty asked as he sat down in the kitchen.

Ty looked over and took in the loving look of compassion "My brain is fried Gran. Amy back yet ?"

"In the library, here, fresh coffee, she's got one."

"The library is down the hall on the right." He asked.

"That's it, double doors. Dinner will be 20 minutes or so. Don't worry, soon it'll be home and all too familiar. Lisa and Jack are getting washed up and the kids are downstairs."

"Thanks Betty."

She smiled and nodded as Ty took a sip and headed to the library.

He thought for a second before not knocking when he opened the door and Amy smiled at him immediately when she saw him. "Barb told me you were neck deep with Bert so I didn't want to disturb you." He walked over and leaned down to kiss her. She was curled up in a big plush leather chair with a coffee on the small table and her phone in her hand.

"Ty's here Trish, the table and a talk is good, let me go."

"Hi Ty !"

"Hi Trish and I guess bye Trish."

"Bye you two !"

Amy got up and wrapped her hands around Ty's neck, leaned up and kissed him again.

"I've so missed seeing you at the end of a busy day Ames."

"We need to talk Ty, family stuff."

"Kiss me again first." He asked with a grin.

Amy leaned up and pulled his head down into a more passionate kiss than he was expecting but he went with it. "Is that a wrangling randy Amy kiss ?"

"That's a welcome home my love kiss."

"Lap or facing, how serious is this ?"

"Lap is fine" she said sitting down across his lap and laying her head against his now reclining body as soon as he situated himself.

"JT is confused why we don't stay in the house. I think he also gets the buckle. I'm sorry Ty I handled this all wrong. I keep saying how ridiculous this sounds but this is all faster than I ever imagined."

"We could slow it down Amy."

"No, no, no, full steam ahead cowboy, kids don't come with a brake."

"He asked about the watches, I should have mentioned it. Come on Amy, neither of us gave thought we'd ever connect like this."

"I should have thought about that Ty but what's done is done. Trish suggests the opposite head of the table now and an explanation that for now the guest house is just easier but when you come back."

"I'll move in, either way Amy, I'll do what it takes to make Jackson comfortable."

She smiled up at him and leaned up for a kiss when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in" Amy called out and Betty popped her head in and then opened the door and walked in followed by Jack and Lisa.

"Close it for a minute Betty." Amy said getting off Ty's lap and moving into another chair alongside.

"So what did you come up with ?" Betty asked.

"You know ?"

"Do you even have to ask ?" Lisa said smiling.

"I guess not, how does table for now on with an explanation about the guest house ease for the time being and when Ty comes back he'll move into the house." Amy answered.

"Sit, sit all of you, I feel like I'm in the principal's office." She added.

"This room is amazing Amy." Jack said looking around.

"Every book about horse healing I can get Grandpa, vet texts and all."

"Oh, they dropped that this afternoon." Betty said pointing at the box on the desk.

"We need a second desk for Ty Betty."

"I'll look where we got this one and talk to Tommy about outlets. I don't know if the table is solid enough for him." Betty said returning to the reason for the sit down to begin with.

"I'll hand him solid as soon as Georgie gets here in the morning Betty." Ty said looking over.

"Let's hear it."

"Harley will be here, I'm leaving him my horse to take care of."

Betty's smile was magical. "Wow, I didn't see that coming, good enough for me, to that boy leaving your horse is a contract signed in blood, table and horse. It's the girls who want the bedroom anyway, they'll get it."

"The girls ?" Jack asked.

"The girls get the significance of the bedroom, just because JT understands the process when he sees animals mating and a birth he doesn't yet associate that with his mom. He sees but doesn't understand Grandpa. JT says the house feels empty without me that's what it's about for him and losing Ty."

"I think I've got the girls covered too but that's a secret." Ty added smiling at Amy.

"What are you planning ?" Amy asked.

"Dinner up Betty ?" Ty said getting up along with Lisa, Jack and Betty.

"Ty, tell me" Amy whined following the crowd out of the room. "I hate secrets." She called after.

Amy walked over and opened the door to the basement "Dinner kids."

"Coming mom" three voices called out.

"Ty, tell me." She repeated at the table.

"No Amy, surprise." He answered with a smile.

When the adults got to the table they found Amy and Ty facing each other at the heads. Jack sat next to Ty who looked up when Jack patted his shoulder, Lisa in the middle and Betty on the end next to Amy. Maddie and Charlotte smiled at each other and Charlotte immediately sped up to reach the seat next to Ty's chair along with Jackson, Maddie immediately took the chair in the middle.

JT looked up and frowned at Charlotte and then ever so slightly took a side step to the chair and laid his hand on the back. She waited a second and smiled at him, then Maddie smiled and took a step over and Charlotte took the center chair.

"Musical chairs over ?" Betty asked smiling.

"I'm good, let's eat, Mom looks hungry." Jackson said.

"Girls help me with dinner please." Betty said with a laugh while getting up with the girls.

"So what's new Dr. Borden ?" Jackson asked. Lisa melted when he asked the question it was just perfect.

"Well, your mom and I were discussing living arrangements, you know, get her back in the house ?"

"Yeah, I was wondering about that."

"Hmm, what were you wondering ?"

"Just you know, if she was coming back."

"That's just what we were talking about."

"So is she ?"

"Well you can count on that, but first let me ask you something, you Ok with me moving in here with her ?"

"I guess."

"You guess ?"

"No, I'm ok with it."

"Well that's good for me I guess."

"You guess ?" Jackson asked with a smile.

"No, you're right it's good for me."

"So when ?"

"That's the part we were trying to figure out. You see, I'm kind of new around here and I have a lot of studying and learning to do for the next few weeks and your mom and I we still have a lot of talking to do. All my stuff is in the guest house and then there's your cousins and your Aunt who are coming to visit and your mom and I figured that it might be easier for the next week or so to stay in the guest house. I'll head back to Canada for a little while and your mom will move back into her, 'err I guess our room and when I get back, boom, I'll be here too."

"So just for like a week more ?"

"Maybe 10 days then back to normal."

"And then we'll be like a family, all of us ?"

"Just like that."

Jackson was quiet for a minute and served himself some chicken off the platter Charlotte held for him.

"Jackson ?" Ty asked.

"OK, that's good, thanks Charlie."

"Any questions ?"

"Uhm probably but I have to think some first."

"Girls, got questions ?" Ty asked.

"The sheer quantity of our questions would stun a moose Doc but we need to think some first too." Charlotte answered with a smile and a nod from Maddie.

"How about you and I take a ride into town after dinner and pick up some ice cream for later Jackson ?"

"Sure I know the way to Purity, I can show you. You don't have a truck though."

"I actually have several trucks I hear but I figured I'd try out our new Harley, you know, the one with the sidecar."

"Oh yeah, that'd be great Dr. Borden." He was smiling so broadly and trying to act so nonchalantly about the whole thing that everyone was choked up and smiling.

Ty glanced over at Amy who smiled at him and mouthed "I love you so much."

Ty smiled back.

"This is like a new puppy thing with you two right ?" Charlotte asked looking from Amy to Ty.

"I like it, you should tell mom you love her too Dr. Borden." Jackson said.

"Go on, we can take it." Maddie said groaning.

"I love you too Amy." Ty said blushing.

"How much ?" Charlotte asked.

"So much." Ty added laughing along with the group.

"Oh no, that's not how it's done. JT show Dr. Borden how we do so much." Charlotte said prodding him.

Jackson stood up and threw out his hands wide "sooooooo mucccchhh."

"Yeah, I'm not doing that" Ty answered laughing.

"One day you will." Maddie said knowingly.

"It's a lock, probably sooner than you think." Charlotte added.

Ty looked at Amy's smirk and watched her shrug her shoulders and go back to her plate.

"Awful quiet down there." Ty said filling his fork and looking down the table at Amy.

She smiled back "Just minding my own business, you've been doing fine, I'm impressed."

"Tell us about Georgie and Wyatt, awesome names." Maddie asked.

Ty looked over at Lisa who nodded to him so he started. "Well, Georgie is actually Georgina who was adopted by Lou and Peter when she was 11 and now she's 21 so 10 years ago. Amy coached and taught her. She jumped and was a trick rider, she still does both mostly to exercise her horses. She's done some horse training and now she's my assistant at the clinic and hopefully here and she'll be going to vet school."

"And Wyatt ?" Charlotte asked.

"Wyatt showed up on the scene oh 6 years ago, they went through the normal Heartland shuffle and I guess they became serious 3 year ago and engaged last year. He'll be attending law school in September. They're a fun couple."

"Wyatt ride ?"

"Sure Jackson, can't court a Heartland girl and not ride." Ty answered.

"Betty, have Carlotta open the loft apartments over the family barn when she does the treehouse."

"I figured we had enough room. Lou in the smaller guest suite and Georgie with you two."

"I spoke with Lou before and of course." Amy began.

"She spoke with Tim." Ty finished

"He'll pop up at the worst possible time. Grandpa could you call him please ?"

"And say what, he's your dad Amy."

"And say that he should come Grandpa, we'll help with the arrangements and remind him to mind his manners."

"That I can do." He said smiling.

"Ty, you Ok with that ?" Amy asked.

"Sure, it'll be fine, no worries."

Amy looked at him for a second and completely thrown by the tone and meaning of his answer she changed tactics "tomorrow morning after you talk to me Grandpa please."

"That's fine Amy." Jack said seeing that it was time for Amy and Ty to talk about Tim.

Amy walked Ty and Jackson out to the garage and waited until she saw them head up the road. Before they left she kissed them both "Don't stay out all night boys."

"We're just going for ice cream mom. No problem."

The trip into town was fun, Ty loved having the sidecar and glancing over at Jackson's expression which was heaven, he began to envision a future he had only ever dreamed of, a life with Amy and their children. He also realized that whether they were naturally theirs or not would make no difference at least to JT and he really believed that the girls were waiting too, both for Amy's and JT's sake as well as their own.

Driving along Ty startled for a second when JT reached over to put his hand on Ty's leg to get his attention and point to a turn. A minute later he smiled at the feeling of warmth that came over him when JT left his hand there as they drove on.

It was apparently quite the entrance when Ty maneuvered the turn into the small lot behind Purity and JT pointed to where motorcycles usually parked. He pulled in next to two Harley's one some others and soon after they were walking towards the building.

Ty saw several people stroll over to see the uncommon combo motorcycle set up and watched many wave and call out to JT. Who in turn smiled and waved. There were two Marauders with their families sitting at a long picnic table who called out and waved to both of them. Ty recognized them both but couldn't recall their names.

They had decided to sit and enjoy a cup together before heading back to the ranch and Ty texted Amy to let her know. Jackson got his favorite banana ice cream with fresh strawberries on top and Ty tried the rum raisin which Bert apparently lived for. Ty was never a sweets hound or a big fan of ice cream but he found he liked the rum raisin and was happy with the choice.

"So tell me about your dad Dr. Borden."

Ty stared at his ice cream for a second and then looked up. "He passed away a few years ago."

"I know how that feels, but like when you were a kid like me."

"My dad left us when I was about your age Jackson, I didn't see him or hear about him again for years. He wasn't, uhm, well truth is he wasn't the best dad in the world."

"Mom said her dad left too, he was sick, was your dad sick ?"

"I think that was certainly part of it."

"So you lived with your mom like we do, well we live with Mom not well our mother and father. I never had a dad."

"Well your father was your dad Jackson."

"Nah, Dad's go fishing and camping and play ball, father's have babies. It's not his fault, the accident you know, but we never got to, you know, be together."

Ty thought for a second and spooned some ice cream to give himself a moment to absorb Jackson's theory. He also fought the overwhelming sadness in that small voice. Jackson had constructed a safety net for himself. He never lost a dad almost like Ty felt about himself sometimes, he lost his father but no real dad would would have done to them what Brad did.

"How about your mom ?" Jackson asked.

"She got sick too."

"Did she die like Grandma Marion ?"

"No, she's still alive and lives in Vancouver, in Canada, with her husband."

"So you have a step dad ?"

Ty was in deep and could not have wished for Amy more at that point.

"He is now Jackson, there was a time they were both sick together."

"Well, that's good that they got better."

"It is, they got well together a few years ago, they're happy. I visit when I can."

"GG calls you son sometimes."

"GG and Grand Mere are like my mom and dad."

"Adopted, like me, that's cool."

"It is."

"So you grew up at, uhm, Heartland ?"

Ty closed his eyes for a second and thought of Amy and of Marion.

"I wasn't a good kid Jackson, I'm not going to lie to you, ever by the way, I was angry and bad things happened at home. I got in trouble with the police and the judge punished me, I went to Juvenile Detention it's like a jail for kids. I was allowed to finish my sentence at Heartland, your Grandma Marion made arrangements for that before the accident when she died, I stayed or came back to Heartland when it was done. Your mom saved my life, without meeting her I don't know what would have happened to me."

"So you're like us, the Grainger us, mom brought us to the ranch and now we're a family and she made us all better."

"Just like that" Ty whispered.

"Well us and all those horses."

"And all those horses" Ty repeated with a laugh.

They both took a few minutes to finish their ice cream.

"Any questions Jackson ?"

"No, more thinking I guess. Well, what did you do, you know the bad stuff, the judge and all that ?"

Ty looked at him for a second, "Well I said I won't lie and I won't, maybe though you're a bit young for the rest of that story."

"OK, I understand. You should probably tell the girls I guess."

"That's true, I'll do that" Ty said, "what kind of ice cream should we bring back."

They bought a pint of each of the family's favorites and packed them in the small boot at the back of the sidecar before heading home to Pegasus.

When they reached the house Ty grabbed a bunch of spoons from the kitchen "it's later than we thought we'd be Jackson, maybe you should go get ready for bed."

"Ok, Dr. Borden, I better shower too."

"You ok on your own ?"

"Sure thing."

"I'll let Amy know, she'll come up for good nights."

"And you."

Ty smiled, "and me."

Ty watched him walk up the steps and then turned only to be called back.

"Thanks for telling me that stuff, I'm glad you found mom too."

Ty nodded and watched him go.

When he got downstairs he mentioned that JT was getting ready for bed, the girls handed out the pints and spoons and everyone was occupied as before. Amy, Betty and Lisa talking and the girls and Jack working on flies.

Ty sat for a few minutes and Lisa noticed he was deep in thought. Lisa nodded to Amy who glanced over. "Ty, you Ok ?"

"Fine Ames, girls I need to talk with you about something."

"Go ahead Dr. Borden." Charlotte said looking over.

"I think over here would be better."

"Ty ?" Amy asked concerned and walking over.

"It's all good Amy, let me do this please."

Amy nodded and came over to sit with him and take his hand. He smiled and leaned over to kiss her head.

When the girls sat down on the floor by him he leaned over and started "I was born in Vancouver, my parents ….."

Ty went though his life and he was sure to let them all know that Jackson got a much more vanilla version of the story, no abuse or any of the specifics of his wayward youth. He did not hold these details back from the girls or Betty who he figured knew some or all of the story anyway. John and Trish certainly seemed to know. He told them about Brad abandoning them, the gambling and drinking, his mother's substance abuse, Wade and the beatings. His arrest and his mother's lie which sent him into the system. He told them about Juvenile detention, group homes and the robbery he got away from, his last act before ending up at Heartland through something Clint Riley saw in him and their Grandma Marion's grace.

"One day Jackson will want the details and I wanted to let you both know that it's my job to do that and I hope you appreciate that and keep it in mind. You know how he is. I want to do this myself."

They both nodded "we understand."

"You two Ok, have questions ?"

Both girls looked at him and Maddie got up and went over to sit on his free side and Charlie moved Amy over with a smile and they both hugged him. "Wow, your life sucked."

"My life sucked Charlie and it took a long time to get over and face it. Not sure if I'm entirely over it."

"Well you're here now and that's all behind you." Maddie added "we're glad you're here Doc" she said leaning over to kiss his cheek.

"Little guy put you through the ringer huh ?" Charlie said reaching around to hug him again which he returned, she kissed his cheek again as well.

"He just asked about my parents Charlie, I couldn't lie to him."

"That's a good policy Ty" Betty said "and I'm glad you're here with us too."

"We should get upstairs for JT." Amy said standing and taking Ty's hand. "Big day tomorrow girls, wrap this up and get the ice cream into the freezer please."

Ty and Amy said their goodnights and headed up the stairs.

On the way up the second stair Amy asked "you ok Ty ?"

"I'm ok, I'd rather continue this with you in my arms though."

"Let's do that then and get it out, JT first."

"And first later, there's more."

Amy looked at him "I'm sorry this has gotten emotional Ty, I figured over time."

Ty cut her off, "no it's fine, that part is out of the way and that's good."

Amy and Ty walked into to Jackson's room and found him in bed reading a fishing magazine. Ty walked around. The room was big by any standards and kept fairly neat. There was a Sega set up but Ty couldn't imagine when he used it. There was a rack of fly rods and wooden cases of flies. There were also flies in frames with pictures on the walls of Jackson's exploits which also included pictures of him riding. He also had his own bathroom and a small porch outside reached by to two large French doors which faced meadows that Ty assumed were filled with horses most of the time.

"Goodnight my love." Amy said walking over and and sitting gently while taking the magazine before leaning over for her hug and kisses.

Ty sat on the other side and also leaned over for a hug and kiss.

On the way down the stairs they passed the girls who both kissed and hugged them again before heading to their room.

"They share a room ?"

"They each have a room joined by a mutual bathroom. Their decision was to share one as a bedroom and one as a sort of lounge. It's easier with friends."

"Makes sense, they're so close."

"It's a thing."

Ty stopped her on the path to the guest house and pulled her into his arms. It was more a hug and a contact than a kiss and Amy could sense Ty's anxiety lifting a little while holding her.

"He really threw you didn't he." She whispered

"He didn't mean it, really a pretty logical question if you think about it. Come on, let's get the talking out of the way."

"I'll start the tub, get yourself a beer."