The early summer sun beated down from the blue sky and left the skin warm and glistening with sweat. She wiped her brow and looked back over her shoulder. Will was keeping up with her and had been quiet the whole time since they headed out early this morning. She wasn't rushing the trip so she took the horse trail through the old ravine. Turning her eyes to the granite walls, she saw the holes where the avalanche had dislodged some of the structure.

Will glanced at her and she looked back at him. He was not keen on them going this way but she had to get him to move on and accept what had happened. Hawks flew overhead, playing with the warm thermals and she heard the distant horse calls. The end of the ravine slowly came into sight and she felt the tension loosen on her shoulders. The trip back through this area had been a little worrisome but she didn't want to teach Will the route the family used to move quicker out in the country.

He may have been taught to ride once he could walk but she knew he wouldn't survive the rough ride the other route entailed. They left the ravine and the open country fields welcomed them as they came to a stop at the end of the gravel road leading to their destination. She could see the workhands doing their chores and spotted Teddy sitting on the porch waiting. Glancing back at her son, she saw the small smirk that caught his mouth. The two of them had hit it off great and she was starting to think they would fill the empty roll of the town's rebels Reese and her had once perfected.

Silently they rode down the drive and Teddy jumped up as they came to a stop at the barn doors. Cal came outside and held Pagan's reins while Will dismounted. Joe's boots hit the gravel and she untied her son's bag from the saddle. She handed it to him and Will slid it over his shoulder.

Cal glanced at Joe and said "I'll settle him in while Teddy shows Will to his room."

She watched the two exchange looks and they disappeared into the house. Shaking her head, she walked Daemon to the barn doors and gave him fresh water to drink while she helped with Pagan. The horse sniffed at his new stall and shook his head. Cal locked him in and Joe caught his attention. His ears went up as she slid her hand along his nose and he nudged her hand as he relaxed.

"Always did have a way with horses."

"I guess I did."

She pulled her hand away from Daemon and found Cal staring at her from the office. He glanced out the barn doors and took a deep breath.

"I can get Reese for you. He's around back taking care of business with some of the work hands."

"Don't worry about it. I plan on being out of here as soon as I talk with Calli."

Cal watched her leave the barn and frowned. He could feel the tension that had taken hold of the place since the day Reese came back from the Andrews farm. He had been deadly silent for the following week but when Calli brought him a letter the silence stopped. Cal remembered perfectly the quiet, stern voice that had told him Will was to be arriving soon and then he was told who the boy was. Thinking back to the boy that rode up with Joe, he could tell who his father was without a doubt, but his connection to Joe seemed hidden from the outside appearance.

"Watch it!"

Shaking his thoughts away, Cal moved to the barn doors and found one of the work hands sprawled out on the ground holding a piece of timber and pale white in the face. He looked up past the man and saw Reese standing still with a lethal light in his amber eyes. To his right stood Joe and Cal saw the stream of blood coming from her temple.

"Another mishap like this and you'll be out of here."

The man swallowed and nodded rapidly. Reese glanced back at Joe and she walked up the porch steps into the house. Cal watched the man silently follow her inside and helped the poor guy off the ground.

"What happened?

The man took a deep breath and said "I was coming around the corner and before I saw Joe the board struck her in the head."

"Reese was out of line."

The man shook his head and said "I'd be just like that if someone hurt my kid's mom like that."

Cal shot him a quieting look and the man went back around back. He ran his hand through his hair and walked across the drive to the porch steps. Walking into the house, he heard the young voices coming from the kitchen and found Will and Teddy sitting at the counter looking down at something. They laughed about something and he rolled his eyes as he walked back toward the family room. The place was empty and dark.

He heard muffled voices from up the stairs and quietly walked upstairs. As he reached the landing, he saw the light on in Reese's room. The door was cracked and he knocked on it before pushing it open. Calli was sitting on her brother's bed with the first-aid kit and staring at the bathroom. She smirked when she saw Cal and nodded toward the bathroom.

He found Reese doctoring the cut on Joe's temple and saw the invisible gap between them. Reese finished covering the cut and washed his hands. Joe waited for him to finish and she washed hers.

"Everything okay?"

The two looked back at Cal and the man felt his skin jump. Both stares were calm but guarded and he couldn't tell which look gave him the more chills.

"I'm going to get going."

Joe's voice broke through the tension and she slid past Reese on her way out the door. He watched her leave and turned back to Cal and his sister.

"What's going on?"

Calli looked at him for an answer but he turned his back on them and walked downstairs. He found her checking on Will before she headed out and watched him hug her. The boy saw the cut on her face and she held his examining hand down.

"I'm fine."

He frowned and said "You keep saying that but you aren't fooling me."

She ruffled his hair and kissed his brow. He sighed and forced his half smirk for her.

"I'll see you in two weeks. Try to stay out of trouble if you can."

Will and Teddy both laughed and she left the kitchen. Reese caught her guarded gaze and she walked outside and he followed her over to Daemon. She untied his reins and threw them over the stallion's neck.

"Going to see Doc?"

Joe looked up at him and said "Not planning on it."

"Joe, that was a sharp blow."

Her brown eyes flashed and she said "I know. I did feel it hit me."

Her tone drew a smirk out of him and he ran his hand through her hair, brushing it back from her face. She caught his hand and lowered it. Knowing she wasn't going to have it examined like she knew she should, he kissed her brow and watched her swing herself up into the saddle. She tied the reins around her hand and looked back at him.

"I'll see you two in two weeks."

Reese nodded and asked "Are you okay with this?"

She took a deep breath and said "I don't think I am but this isn't about me. Will wants to get to know you so what I feel doesn't matter right now."

"It does matter. If you are uncertain about this I can bring him home earlier."

Shaking her head, she drew Daemon aside and said "We will be looking for you two in two weeks."

He watched her nudge Daemon into a trot down the drive and ran his hand through his hair. The two disappeared quickly from sight and he ran his hand down his neck. Glancing at the timber board still lying on the ground, he walked over to it and picked it up. Frowning, he carried it out back and dug out the lighter resting in his back pocket. Setting the wood on fire, he dropped it into the burn pile and put his lighter away.

"Reese?"

Looking over his shoulder, he found Will watching him and looked back at the growing fire. Will approached and stood silently next to him while the wood was consumed by orange flames.

"She okay?"

"Yeah."

Will looked up at him and said "I can always go home if it is best."

Reese looked down at him and said "You wanted to visit and that is what you are going to do. Joe doesn't expect us to show up for two weeks."

The boy smirked and asked "Does that tone always get your way around here?"

"Hardly."

The two walked back around the barn and Reese looked down at him. Will was looking over the place and he took a deep breath.

"Care to get a better look at it?"

"Sure."

"Saddle Pagan."

Will followed him into the barn and prepared Pagan for the ride while Reese studied him from Champ's stall. The two had a very strong bond and it reminded him of Joe's way with animals. When Will was ready to go, Reese walked Champ out of the barn and swung himself up into the saddle. Will seated himself in his saddle and Reese nudged Champ on. The stallion took off into the field and Will let Pagan pursue at his pleasure.

They flew across the grassy hills and slowly came to stop by the top of the ravine. Reese dismounted and threw his reins over Champ's back. The stallion munched on grass and he sat down by the ledge. Will dismounted and joined him as Pagan moved over by Champ.

"How bad is she?"

Will looked up at him and couldn't tell if he was really worried about his mother or if he was using that tactic just to get Will to talk to him. The man was silently looking down at the ravine but Will was able to see that he was still thinking about her.

"The mornings have been easier on her than the evenings."

"How much sleep is she getting?"

"A lot but I don't think it's helping her anymore. At night, I've gone in to check on her and she's been sound asleep as if she never got any."

Reese took a deep breath and looked down at Will. He wanted to say she'd get better but this kid knew more about Joe's condition than he ever would.

"Is there something you can do for her?"

Will's gaze was still calm but he knew the boy wasn't going to be able to stay strong if the conversation continued on too long.

"I don't know."

He heard a familiar sigh from Will and smirked. They looked down at the ravine in silence and let the afternoon silenlty pass by while sharing companionship. Will glanced back toward the house and Reese stood up. He gave a single whistle and Champ trotted up to him. Will watched him slide up into the saddle and look back at him.

The look he got from the man had always been familiar but now it was like his mom told him. As long as he knew Reese was somehow part of his life it felt like it was going to be okay. He had this feeling that the man was going to find a way to save his mother and maybe even him. Even if he got sick and wasn't going to make it, he needed his mom to be saved. She had given up everything, including her well being, to make sure he had the best life possible.

Climbing into his saddle, he followed Reese back to the barn and they put Champ and Pagan up for the night. Teddy was sitting on the porch steps as they approached and he led them inside. The place was warm and smelled amazing as they made their way to the kitchen. He found Calli pouring drinks and the table was already set for them.

"I was wondering if you were going to make it to dinner."

Reese ignored the look she shot him and they sat down to eat. He watched Teddy and Will talk about the plans for the next day and felt like it was natural. Glancing at his sister, he found her watching him and she offered a comforting smile. Reese looked back at Will and felt the comfortable feeling slipping behind the growing ache he was feeling everytime he thought about the boy's mother.