The sun basked the melting snow with its morning light and slowly began rousing the animals in the barn. When Champ let out a low call, Reese left the office and moved to the stallion. He bumped the bucket of food with his nose and snorted. Shaking his head, Reese took the bucket down and carried it outside around back. The food settled across the ground and he wiped every last seed out.

Hearing the morning birds talking, he walked back into the barn and hung the empty bucket back up. Champ nudged his face and he held the stallion's gaze. Glancing across the aisle, he met Daemon's somber gaze and heard the work hands approaching for the day's work. Cal nodded as he entered the office and Reese met him at the door.

"When was Daemon last worked?"

"He hasn't been worked since the last time Joe took him out."

The ususal frown slid over his face and he said "Get one of the men to clean him up and I'll take him into town."

"Going to get Doc? Isn't that the one thing she said to not do?"

"When have I ever let that woman order me around?"

Cal shook his head with a chuckle and said "When she bites your head off I won't step in this time."

He rolled his eyes and said "I can handle her."

"You said that seven years ago."

The glare he received hushed him up and Cal watched the man walk outside. Reese took a calming breath as he entered the house and met Calli as she came down the stairs. The woman had a plate with fresh breakfast and looked upset.

"Not being cooperative this morning?"

The woman shook her head and said "No matter what I said she wouldn't take the food."

"What did she say?"

Calli sighed. "She didn't say anything."

Reese glanced up at the stairs and asked "Did she do anything?"

"Just stared out the window."

"From the bed?"

She shook her head and chuckled. "She got out of bed today."

He caught Teddy coming downstairs for breakfast and followed his nephew back into the kitchen. The boy took a seat at the table as he dug through the cabinets.

"What are you doing?"

He glanced over his shoulder and found Calli watching with an amused look. Teddy was watching him pull the fixings out for his specialty and he shook his head.

"You act like me fixing breakfast is a crime."

Calli put the plate at the table and took a seat. She shook her head and watched him begin to put the batter together. Teddy got up and walked over to the counter to watch. Hunger was never the problem with him. He was always curious about making food and watching his uncle cook was weird and cool at the same time.

In ten minutes there was a plate of pancakes on the table with fruit and breakfast meat for sides. Teddy dug into his food and Calli watched her brother make up a plate and leave the room. She followed him with her eyes as he walked into the hallway and climbed the stairs. Curious, she left the kitchen and quietly walked upstairs. Reaching the landing, she found the door ajar at the end of the hall and approached close enough to hear.

"I asked you not to get him."

Reese stared back at her and asked "Would it kill you?"

She turned her gaze back on him and saw him set the plate down. Her eyes settled on his face and he leaned against the wall.

"Eat."

"What's this?"

"Your favorite if I remember correctly."

She looked out the window and took a deep breath. She could see the work hands moving the animals around and carefully glanced back at the man.

"I'm not hungry."

"You can keep telling yourself that if you want. You still have to eat."

"I told you no."

He bit back a sigh and watched her look away. She took another deep breath and he saw her supporting her ribs. Glancing at the pain medication by the bed, he found it hadn't been touched yet today and looked back at her.

"When was the last time you had them?"

"The pills or the pancakes?"

"Both."

"I took some last night."

"And the other?"

She looked back at him and said "Seven years ago."

His eyes narrowed and she waited. Keeping her eyes slightly lowered, she didn't have to watch those amber eyes fully and was able to keep her thoughts to herself.

"What changed?"

She let a sad smirk pass over her face and said "Everything."

He captured her eyes again and said "Eat at least a little. Then take the pills and get back in bed."

"You a doctor now?"

His eyes remained calm but she saw the annoyance tighten his jawline and heard "I know a doctor that will be very annoyed with you when he gets here and you haven't done so."

"I have things to do. I can't stay in here another day."

"I'm taking Daemon into town to get Doc. That will get him some exercise and one less thing for you to worry about."

"And if one of my brothers see you?"

"I said I can handle them."

She let out a sigh and sat down on the bed. She wanted to shake him senseless but barely managed to keep herself together. He wasn't going to let her out of this confinement until she is looked over unless she can slip out while he's gone to town.

"Plotting to leave while I'm gone would be futile. Cal is keeping an eye out for me."

"Traitor."

"He works for me, remember?"

"Yes."

Reese watched her slowly look back at him and asked "Going to eat for me?"

She would've made a snide remark but noticed the shadow outside the door. Her eyes narrowed and she stood up. He watched her approach and watched her push the door open. Calli stumbled back and tried to act surprised.

"I was just coming up to check on you."

"Really?"

She nodded and asked "Did he manage to get you to eat anything?"

"Did you hear me eat?"

The woman looked a little hurt at the defensive tone and shook her head. She looked over at Reese and found him forcing back a smirk. The jerk was enjoying this while she was growing uneasy with their guest.

"I'll be downstairs if you need anything."

"Thanks."

Joe watched her head down the stairs and turned around to face him. He shook his head with a chuckle and watched her carefully relax.

"I think you might have traumatized her."

"I know."

He smirked and asked "Now are you going to eat and make her feel better?"

"I suppose so. She did go out of her way to send up the calvary."

He snorted and said "She had no idea."

"I'm sure."

Quietly she took a seat by the table and looked over the food. It sounded wonderful but she was still tense over the trip into town.

"Do you have to go?"

"Joe."

She met his gaze and said "I know you can handle my brothers but you don't know what they will do if they see you."

"Skin me alive for not seeking you out?"

She looked away and said "That's only part of it."

"They have a right to be angry with me about it. Hell I wish I had."

Her eyes turned back to him and she asked "What?"

"I said I wish I had come after you."

"Reese."

He could see the small flame of shock on her face but noticed the withdrawn part as well. She still hadn't touched the food but he imaged if he left she would get around to eating it.

"I may have said I hated you but I didn't mean it."

She smirked slowly and said "I'm surprised."

"No one could hate you."

"Sometimes I do."

"What are you talking about?"

She leaned back in the chair and sighed "Times changed and I've had to make a lot of decisions I still regret."

"Like that last time?"

She shook her head and said "I'll never regret that except for the way I ended everything."

"We both have things we regret."

"Things that can never be fixed."

He sighed and caught her distant gaze. She had one hand on the table curled into a fist and the other rested in her lap. He could see her shoulders tense from his side of the room and knew he had to at least try and relieve some of it.

"If I run into any of those Andrews men I'll let them have a shot at me."

She didn't fight back the smile or the laugh. He let it affect him as well and let the ice breaker relax both of them and kill the tension. The sound echoed down the hall and reached his sister's ears from the bottom of the stairs. She looked up and smiled.