"That one sure has spirit," Sloan stated as she continued to watch the black stallion kick and buck around the corral. "It's going to take a lot to get him to trust us."

"You're right," Donovan replied as he leaned against the wood frame. "You want us to leave him out here tonight?"

"No, give him a little while to stretch his legs here and then put him in a stall. Make sure he doesn't have any other horse next to him. I don't want him to get all the others wound up and agitated."

"No problem," Donovan smiled up at his dark haired boss.

They stood there for a few quiet minutes just watching the radiant horse prance around. The full moon shining off his coat and his mane blowing in the gentle wind giving him a majestic look.

"Also make it clear that no one is allowed to get in the same stall. He is too high strung and I don't want anyone hurt." Sloan ordered. "Just you or me."

Donovan nodded, "I'll make sure I let everyone know."

"Well, I'm going to go on up to the house. Mom and Dad are probably wondering were I'm at." The tall woman took one last look at the horse. "See you tomorrow." She patted Donavon on the back and left.

The absolute power and beauty that was before her eyes mesmerize a small figure stood off in the shadow. Never in her life had she seen anything that captured the raw power and grace that this horse has.

"Well, boy, I'm going to go and get your stall ready. You get all that nervous energy out of you before I get back." Donovan watched the horse prance around and neigh.

The figure watched as the older man walked away from the corral. She waited a few minutes before she looked around making sure no one was around then she stepped out of the shadows. By the light of the moon she walked up next to the wooden fence and carefully climbed over.

The black stallion snorted and kicked at the ground.

The woman slowly made her way over to the horse with her hand held out in front of her.

******************************

Sloan looked up at the house she shared with her parents and sister. The light from the windows gave off a warm presence from the dark night. She stepped up the wooden steps and up to the wrap around porch. Her mother had always said that a great first impression was very important and since the porch was usually what people saw first when they came here. It was decorated with flower baskets and whicker chairs and tables carefully arranged to welcome all visitors.

"Beautiful as always," Sloan whispered.

"Did you say something dear?" Sloan's mother asked as she stood on the other side of the screen door.

Sloan jumped, "I didn't know you were there."

"Sorry for scaring you. I saw you walking up the steps and I thought I'd come ask you how your new horse was?" Shannon Addams opened the door and brushed her daughter's hair off her shoulders.

"Oh, mom he is magnificent," Sloan beamed. "He is very high strung and it will take some time before he will trust me."

Shannon smiled up at her oldest daughter's excitement. "That is wonderful. Have you thought of a name yet?"

Sloan shook her head, "not yet."

"Will you walk me down and show me?" Shannon tugged at Sloan's sleeve.

Sloan grasped her mother's hand, "let me go and get Dad."

"Okay, I'll wait here," The salt and peppered haired woman walked over and sat in a chair.

******************************

The young woman reached into her pocket and offered the large stallion a small piece of hard butterscotch candy. "Come on strong boy. I don't want to hurt you."

The stallion sniffed the air. The scent of the sweet candy made him neigh and shake his head.

"I know you want it. Just let me get close to show you that I mean you no harm." Keegan took small baby steps until she was within arm distance. She held the candy in the palm of her hand and held it out for the horse to take.

"What in Sam hell are you doing in there?" Donovan bellowed scaring the stallion and Keegan at the same time.

Keegan snapped her head and glared at Donovan for scaring her. She raised a finger to her mouth and pressed it against her mouth. "Shut up Uncle Donovan."

"You better get out of there before you get hurt." Donovan replied in a much quieter voice.

Keegan gestured for him to stop talking; "he is going to ruin this. Damn him."

******************************

Shannon and Evan walked hand in hand by their daughter. They watched as she excitedly described the new stallion to them.

"He has a coat that is as black as coal with eyes to match. Long flowing mane with a tail that flicks when he is really agitated." Sloan said as her hands were tucked in her front jean pockets. Her boots kicking small rocks as they went.

"He sounds like a fine horse. I can tell that you are very excited you bought him." Evan winked at his wife.

"Excited doesn't even compare to what I'm feeling." Sloan stopped as she brought her hands out of her pockets. She brushed her hand through her hair holding it back off her face. The electric blue eyes shone with wisdom and a silent strength.

The three resumed their walk until they heard Donavan yell. Sloan took off down the road and came to a sudden halt as she noticed a small woman inside the stall with her new stallion. She ran up next to Donovan. "Who the hell is she and what is she doing with my horse?"

"I'm so sorry. She snuck in while I was getting the stall ready." Donovan looked over at his boss.

"Who is she?" Sloan asked again as she watched the woman hold her hand out to the horse.

"Remember I asked you if I could have my niece come and start working here?" Donovan asked as he grasped the wooden railing.

Sloan pointed towards the corral, "I take it that is her?"

"Yes," Donovan shrugged his shoulders.

Sloan glared at him, "get her out of there, now."

Shannon and Evan stood back. They knew their daughter could be the sweetest person, but also that she had a fiery temper that could go off whenever her orders weren't carried out.

Evan gently nudged his wife, "look."

Shannon looked to where her husband was pointing. She was amazed when she saw the stallion take a step towards the woman in the corral. "Is he doing what I think he's doing?"

"Sure looks that way," Evan stepped over to get Sloan's attention off of Donovan so she could see.

Keegan didn't move. She stood there and waited until the stallion knew that he wasn't in any danger. She saw it in his eyes when he decided that he wanted the piece of candy and knew that in order it to get it he had to come to her.

"That's it, I won't hurt you. I promise." Keegan smiled as she watched the horse nod his head and move closer. The soft smooth noise tickled her hand when he took the candy off her palm. "Good boy, you aren't so tough are you?" Keegan slowly raised her hand and patted the strong neck and head.

"Oh my god," Sloan mumbled in shock. "Did she just do what I think she just did?"

"Yes, she did. I'd forgotten about her being able to do that." Donovan scratched his three-day-old beard. "Got that from her mama."

"Got what from her mama?" Shannon asked as she stepped up next to her husband.

"Not sure what you call it, but the animals seem to love her. Her mama was the same way, but for some reason it's stronger in her." Donovan answered.

****************************************

The four continued to watch Keegan for several minutes. They watched as she ran her hands up and down his strong legs and up and over his back.

"I cannot believe that is the same horse I bought." Sloan said as she rested her elbows on the top part of the wooden fence.

Donavan nodded his head, "Want me to see if she can bring him over so we can get a better look?"

"Yes," Sloan turned to look at her stable manager.

Donovan whistled softly so he wouldn't disturb the stallion too much. When Keegan glanced over he waved at her to come closer.

"Be good boy. They just want to get a look at you now that you are all calmed down." Keegan reached inside her pocket and unwrapped another piece of candy and held it out for the animal to smell. "That's it, good boy." Keegan stepped backwards with her hand stretched out.

"I have seen some amazing things in my life, but I think this tops them all." Shannon shook her head slightly.

"I think our daughter thinks the same way," Evan gestured with his chin to Sloan.

Shannon smiled, "I think so too."

Keegan walked until her back hit the wooden fence that made up the corral. She looked up into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. She grinned and grasped ahold of Sloan's hand and placed the hard candy in the center on her palm.

Sloan stood there and watched the small blonde put the treat in her hand. "I guess it's my turn?"

Keegan nodded and gestured for her to climb over the fence.

Sloan stepped up on the bottom rail and swung her long leg over to the other side. She kicked her other leg over and slid to the ground and started to step closer to the stallion.

Keegan stopped her. She shook her head and motioned for her to stand still with her arm out stretched in front of her.

Sloan understood and stayed where she was. She raised her hand and waited. When the stallion didn't move closer she looked over at Keegan with a raised eyebrow.

Keegan winked and stepped in front of the tall brunette, "come on. She won't hurt you." She said as she petted her chest with her hand.

The big black stallion neighed and shook his head.

"Now don't be stubborn. I won't let anything happen to you." Keegan stepped closer and rubbed the spot in between his eyes. "Trust me."

The stallion looked deep into Keegan's soft green eyes and stepped past her to the tall brunette with the candy.

Keegan patted his side as he walked by, "that's it. You are such a good boy."

Sloan held her breath as the stallion quietly nibbled the candy off of her hand. "Wow, that is amazing."

Keegan turned and smiled.

"Do you think you might get him to go to his stall?" Sloan asked as she continued to stare at the horse.

Keegan nodded and scratched the horses neck, "come on boy. I know a nice warm place for you to sleep." She started to walk towards the gate. She was stopped by Sloan handing her a lariat she picked up off the fence.

"Take this so he won't take off one you," Sloan held out the rope to Keegan.

Keegan closed her eyes and shook her head and began to walk.

"If you won't do it I will. I don't want him to take off and then have to hunt all night to find him." Sloan turned to drop the lasso around the horse's neck.

Keegan quickly stopped and spun around. She grabbed ahold of Sloan's arm to stop her.

Sloan didn't think, she just reacted. Her elbow went back and connected with Keegan's cheek.

The force of Sloan's elbow knocked Keegan off her feet. She hit the ground so hard it knocked the wind out of her.

"Damn it, why did you grab me?" Sloan flipped around to look at the small woman. "I could have hurt you really bad."

Keegan narrowed her eyes and slowly stood up. She rubbed her face as she moved closer to Sloan. She grabbed the lariat from her hands and tossed it over the fence.

"What are you doing?" Sloan growled through clenched teeth. "I don't want my horse to run off. You go and get that lariat now or you will be sorry you ever stepped foot on my property."

Keegan didn't budge from her spot. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared daggers into Sloan.

"Do you understand what I'm telling you?" Sloan asked as she glared at Keegan. Not getting an answer she stepped closer and bent over so she was staring directly into pissed off green eyes. "What's the matter can't you talk. You think your only good enough to talk to animals?"

Keegan slapped Sloan across the face before she whipped around and climbed over the fence and headed into the darkness.

Donovan and Sloan's parents watched Keegan disappear into the night.

"I don't want her working for me. I want her out of here by the time I get here in the morning." Sloan said as she turned to Donovan and rubbed her face.

"I will be going with her," Donovan turned and started to walk away before he stopped and turned to Sloan. "She would have answered you if she could, but she hasn't spoken a word since she watched her family get murdered by a maniac when she was seven."

"What?" Sloan asked as she reached the fence. The stallion behind her forgotten at what she heard.

"Oh my," Shannon gasped. "That poor child."

"When did this happen?" Evan questioned as he put an arm around his wife.

"About seventeen years ago. Her mama hid her under a table as a man barged in. She sat under it hidden by the tablecloth, but it was high enough for her to see her mama and papa get stabbed to death. She hasn't spoken a word since." Donovan replied as tears ran down his face. "The mad man might have just killed two people physically, but he killed a third just by watching his actions."

"I'm so sorry," Sloan said softly as she climbed over the fence.

Donovan looked into misty blue eyes; "it's not me you should be apologizing to. Keegan is a special woman and has been hurt enough in her lifetime. A lot of people think she is dumb just because she doesn't speak but let me tell you. That woman out there is the smartest person I know. In every single one of her classes she has received 4.0. She graduated top of her class, and was valedictorian but wouldn't accept it because she couldn't give the speech at graduation." Donovan turned around when he heard the start of a motor. "Damn it, she's going to get he self killed if she takes off on that thing."

The three Addams stood there and listened to the motor of what sounded like a small motorcycle.

"What is she going to do?" Shannon asked as she stepped closer to Donovan.

Donovan started to answer her but the sound of the motor grew louder. He ran off in the direction with Sloan right behind him.

The full moon gave them adequate light to see the small blonde drive off into the dark forest with only the small headlight of the motorcycle to light her way.

"She is going to get herself killed," Sloan pointed at the now dark forest.

Donovan nodded and ran for his beat up pick up. "You coming with me?"

"Yes," Sloan ran around to the passenger side and jumped in. "Let's go" She yelled as she slammed the door shut.

******************************

All her life people had judged her because she couldn't speak. The names had always been hurtful and mean. Most of the time she would let it roll of her back and walk away, but after so long she would retaliate against her aggressors and fight back.

The kick boxing that she was taught when she was younger made it easy for her protect herself, but also was an easy way for her to hurt those that were at the wrong place at the wrong time and chose to pick on her.

A branch from a tree hit the helmet Keegan had on and snapped her thoughts back to where she was and what she was doing. "Damn it, I have to get myself under control." She stopped the motorcycle and turned off the engine.

Keegan undid the neck strap and took off her helmet. She looked up through the tree branches at the big moon and bright stars. " I wish sometimes I had died with my parents. Why did you spare me god?"

The sound of her uncle's beat up old pickup disturbed Keegan's train of thought. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Guess it's time to face the music." She put her helmet back on and started the engine. She saw a set of headlights off to her left and gunned the engine so she could meet up with the vehicle at the old wooden bridge that was close by.

******************************

Sloan pointed out the window, "there she is."

Donovan slowed the truck down and looked out into the darkness. He saw a headlight coming towards their location so he stopped and waited.

A few minutes later the small blonde pulled out in front of the truck. She turned the motor off and waited for the explosion from her uncle.

"What in the world do you think you were doing?" A deep voice asked.

Keegan snapped her head in the direction of the passenger side of the truck. Immediately her temper soared as she jumped off the bike and stormed up to Sloan. She wiped her helmet off and tossed it at the tall woman.

"Hey, calm down," Sloan caught the object and stepped back.

Keegan stopped and put her hands on her hips. She tapped her foot and waited to see what and why Sloan rode out her for.

Sloan sat the helmet in the back of the truck before she lowered her head; "I want to tell you how very sorry I am. I had no clue that you don't speak." She looked up into emerald green eyes. "I want you to stay and work for me. I have never seen anything like I did tonight."

Keegan reached into her pocket. She pulled out a small notebook and pencil.

Sloan watched as Keegan began to write She waited until she was handed a piece of paper. Sloan leaned slightly over so she could use the light from the interior of the truck.

"I'm sorry I hit you. You just made me so mad at the way your were treating me. I am not some stupid mindless idiot. I will work for you on one condition. I don't use a rope on the stallion. He doesn't need it. He will follow me because he trusts me."

Sloan looked up from the paper; "You had every right to hit me. I was a jerk and I promised never to do that again. And as for the rope we will try it your way, but the first time he takes off and we have to go chase him down the rope will then be used no matter what you say."

Keegan nodded and held out her hand.

Sloan stuffed the paper in her back pocket before she reached for the blonde's hand, "deal."

Keegan smile and pointed towards her helmet.

Sloan grabbed it and handed it back, "we'll follow you back." She jumped into the cab and waited for Keegan to get the motorcycle started. She heard a soft snort from Donovan and turned toward s him. "Yes?"

"She is a spitfire," Donovan laughed.

Sloan sighed in agreement as she rubbed her face; "I have a feeling this isn't going to be our last argument."

"You got that right," Donovan replied as he put the truck in reverse.

******************************

Donovan pulled his truck up next to the barn and shut off the engine. He opened the door, but sat there. "I would like to continue working here."

Sloan looked over at the older man, "I understand why you quit and I would be more than happy to keep you on. You are the best horse wrangler I have ever had here and I don't want to loose you."

"I'm not the best any more," Donovan pointed over to Keegan who was walking into the barn with the stallion trotting behind her.

Sloan nodded, "I think you might be right."

"Well, I need to go and show Keegan where she will be sleeping." Donovan closed the truck door and headed over to where he saw his niece enter.

Sloan watched the man slowly walk into the barn and disappear. She grabbed ahold of the door handle but stopped when she saw Keegan step out into the moonlight and go to her motorcycle and tug off a duffel bag and skip back into the barn. "I do believe my life is about to change and it will all center around that little blonde."

******************************

Keegan pulled herself up the fence and watched Majestic run full out. Sloan had come up with the name after one afternoon watching the black stallion race across the open pasture.

"Hi," Sloan said as she walked up next to Keegan.

Keegan smiled and gave the tall woman a small wave.

"How's he doing?" Sloan asked softly as she rested her arms on top of the fence.

Keegan's smile grew as she gave Sloan a thumbs up.

"Great," the tall woman sighed. "I want to thank you."

"Why?" Keegan wrote on her ever-present notebook.

"You have made Majestics' move here nice and easy. I have never seen anything like it. The way you?how do I put this?talk to him." Sloan looked into amused green eyes. "What?"

"I do talk to him. In fact I talk to all of them." Keegan acknowledged with a shrug of her shoulders.

Sloan read the paper a couple of times before she laughed. "I didn't mean it literally."

Keegan jumped off the fence and stormed off.

"What?" Sloan followed quickly behind the small blonde. "Would you wait up?"

Keegan stopped and turned around. She stomped up to stand face to face with Sloan. She pointed at the paper and then pointed at herself.

"You expect me to actually believe that you can talk to animals?" Sloan laughed harder.

Keegan's temper soared. "What an arrogant bitch." She pushed Sloan out of her way. "I'll show you." She went back over to where they were just standing and closed her eyes to calm herself.

"You going call him like a dog?" Sloan giggled. "Kinda hard when you can't even speak."

"I will show you." Keegan ignored Sloan and called out to the black horse. "Majestic, come here boy and show the idiot brunette that I'm serious."

To Sloan's surprise Majestic stopped running and looked over at the two women. He then trotted straight to Keegan and nudged her shoulder.

Keegan patted Majestics' head, "good boy and thank you."

Sloan opened her mouth to speak, but snapped it shut when she didn't know what to say.

"This first time I could forgive you because you didn't know. Now you know and you tease me. Next time I will break your jaw." Keegan ripped off the paper and shoved it in Sloan' s face before she headed off to her room.

Sloan read the paper and lowered her head. "Damn it, I need to learn to keep my big mouth shut."

******************************

Shannon grabbed the paper and her cup of coffee along with her light coat and sat down out on the front porch. She looked up and took a deep breath of the cool fresh air. The mountain range that covered the back part of their property was covered in pure white snow. Soon every ounce of land as far as the eyes could see would be covered in white.

"Hey Mom," Sloan kissed her mom on her check and sat down by her feet.

Shannon ran her hands through hers daughters' long dark tresses. "What's wrong honey?"

Sloan lowered her head and shook it slightly; "I was an ass again."

"You, an ass? To who?" Shannon asked.

"Keegan," Sloan rubbed her face with her hands. "I made a comment about her being able to talk to animals and she said she could. I made the crack about how, since she can't even talk."

"Oh honey, you need to think before you talk." Shannon replied softly.

"I know, I know," Sloan nodded. "She proved me wrong. She called Majestic over and he came over. Right in front of my eyes. Then she threatened to break my jaw if I ever mention the fact that she doesn't speak again."

"Good, for her." Shannon smiled as she thought about the look on Sloan's face.

"She'd do it too and not think anything of it." Sloan laughed then quieted down. "Mom?"

"Yes dear," The older woman sat her paper down on her lap.

Several seconds went by until Sloan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "No one has ever treated me the way she does. She doesn't censor what she does or what she says. Keegan thinks of me as a normal person and I really like it."

"That's good dear. You have wanted that for sometime know." Shannon said as her eyes got misty.

"Yes, it's refreshing. I feel like I can just be me instead of the big money tycoon everyone else knows." Sloan plucked at her Mom's pant leg.

Shannon bent over so her mouth was next to Sloan's ear, "then why do you say stuff to hurt her?" She whispered.

"I have no idea," Sloan answered as she looked up into her mother's loving eyes. "I wish I knew."

"Think about it. Let your mind and your heart show you." Shannon caressed Sloan's soft cheek with the back of her hand.

Sloan stood up and held her Mom's hand, "I will try." She said and walked into the house.

Shannon watched her daughter disappear into the house. "I hope you do, because I don't like you being alone and I think a small blonde is just the answer."

******************************

Keegan slammed her door shut to her room. She kicked at a shirt that she had left on the floor this morning. "I cannot believe the nerve of that woman. Laughing at me and teasing me like that. I don't care if she is my boss. I will bust her down to size faster than she will know what hit her."

A loud knock made her jump. She stormed over and flung the door open causing it to slam against the wall.

"Mind if I come in?' Donovan asked with a smirk.

Keegan stepped back out of the way.

"Thank you," the older man stepped over the threshold and closed the door. "You want to tell me what happened out there?"

Keegan glared at him. She reached for a yellow notepad that sat at the foot of her bed. She flipped through it until she found a clean sheet. "How can you have stayed with that arrogant bitch for so many years?"

Donovan sighed, "she has her moments of pure stupidity just like everyone else, but she also has the biggest heart and greatest soul I have ever seen."

"Soul? That woman doesn't have a soul." Keegan wrote quickly.

Donovan closed his eyes and shook his head. "Sloan Addams is the richest woman in the world. Not only has she given people jobs and security but she has also given her heart out to the world to help those who cannot help themselves." He walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I have never seen her react to anyone like she does you."

"What she never made anyone feel like some sort of mindless idiot because they aren't like everyone else?" The upset blonde asked on another piece of paper.

"No, for some odd reason she is different with you." Donovan replied. "Sloan doesn't seem to guard herself with you. She lets herself go and can be the person I know she really wants to be."

"If you call lowering her guard against me is to belittle me, no thank you. I get that from enough people out in the real world just fine." Keegan tossed the notepad next to her uncle and headed for the door.

"Please don't run." Donovan begged. "Stay and see what happens. I bet Sloan is sorry."

Keegan stopped and rested her head on the wooden door. Her shoulders began to shudder.

Donovan rushed to his small niece, "why are you crying?"

Keegan turned and fell into waiting arms. After several minutes of crying she took several deep breaths.

"Want to tell me what all this is about?" Donovan held up some paper to Keegan.

Keegan took the paper and began to write. "I'm tired of being different, but there isn't anything I can do about it. I just feel like giving up sometimes."

"Oh, sweetheart, you must never give up." Donovan cupped his niece's face in his hands. "I will always be here for you no matter what. I love you."

Keegan smiled and mouthed I love you back to her uncle.

"Want to go for a ride on your motorcycle?" Donovan watched as the spark entered her green eyes. "Go on. Have fun and please be careful."

Keegan nodded and kissed his cheek and ran out the door.

Donovan chuckled softly, "to have that kind of energy."

******************************

Sloan sat back in her chair with her eyes closed just enjoying the silence around her. The soft sound of a small motor broke her concentration. She used her feet to turn her body towards the big floor to ceiling window. She opened her eyes and watched Keegan's form disappear off into the distance.

"I can't believe I said that to her." Sloan mumbled out loud as she remembered the hurt she had caused the small woman. "I need to make it up to her some how. But the question is how?"

"I hear all women love roses." A voice said behind Sloan.

Sloan turned her chair slightly and looked over at a smaller version of herself. "You think that will get her to forgive me for being a heartless bitch, again?"

Stephanie Addams smiled and nodded as she strolled into Sloan's office and sat in a black leather chair across from her sister. "It will be a start. Then maybe a nice dinner and a movie."

"I don't think this is supposed to be romantic in nature. I just want to apologize for being stupid." Sloan stood up and walked over to her younger sister. She bent over and hugged the slightly smaller woman. "How is your day going?"

"My day is just fine. I went shopping with Brent all afternoon." Stephanie replied as she hugged her sister back. "Now tell me about who this is you are supposed to be apologizing to, again." She sat back and waited for her sister to sit back down in her chair.

"Keegan," Sloan took a deep breath. "I teased her again about not being able to speak."

Stephanie shook her head, "why?"

Sloan shrugged her shoulders; "I have no idea. It just happened."

"Open mouth insert foot disease," Stephanie nodded. "I know the cure for that."

"Oh, really and what that might be?" Sloan raised a perfectly sculptured eyebrow at her sister.

"A nice long horse back ride." Stephanie stood and waved for her sister to follow her. "The clean fresh air will clear your mind and set you straight again." She said before she was out of the room.

"Sounds like just what I need," Sloan followed Stephanie down the steps and out of the house. She stopped as soon as she was out the door. There tethered to the railing for the step was her horse Rox. "You had this planed didn't you?"

"No, I did." Shannon stepped up next to her daughter. "You need to clear the air with Keegan and I knew a horse ride would help you."

"Right, and I bet you just want me to ride out to the north too?" Sloan asked as she turned to look at her Mom.

"You can go any direction you want." Shannon patted Sloan on the back. "It's just prettier going north."

Sloan shook her head and walked to her horse and untied the reins and without any trouble jumped into the saddle. "I love you both."

"We love you too," The two other women responded with smiles.

******************************

Keegan stared out at the vast mountain range. Traces of winter were already visible as the snowcaps on the mountains grew as the days shortened.

"To be that strong to carry the world on its shoulders," Keegan thought as she remembered what her papa told her once when she asked why mountains were so big.

"I miss you Mama and Papa. I wish I could have done something to save you, but instead I just froze and did nothing." Keegan lowered her head.

For some reason ever since coming to Winter Escape ranch she has been thinking a lot more of her parents, but more importantly the night they had been murdered. Flashes of that night haunted her dreams and a nagging feeling sat at the bottom of her stomach waiting to erupt at any given moment.

"I wish I could just grasp the pictures and keep them longer so that maybe I could remember more." Keegan wiped off her face with the back of her hand. "I could than help the police catch that man who stole my entire life away from me."

Keegan took a deep breath, "soon Mama and Papa."

******************************

Sloan sat on top of Rox. She let the horse figure out where she wanted to go. "If by some odd chance I run into Keegan along the way then so be it." She thought.

The sound of a small engine getting closer made Sloan turn toward a turn in the trail.

Keegan gunned the small engine to make the corner and the slight incline. As soon as she rounded the corner she noticed the trail was blocked by Sloan on a horse.

It was either hit the horse or go off the trail. Knowing that the first was not an option Keegan let off of the gas and turned towards the side of the trail. As soon as the motorcycle hit the slippery grass she started to skid and loose control.

"This is going to hurt," Keegan thought as she saw a large tree lying on the ground in front of her. The front wheel of the motorcycle hit the trunk of the tree and flipped her over the top of it.

Sloan could do nothing but watch. Her heart entered her throat as she watched Keegan fly over the fallen tree and disappear. "Oh God," she jumped off Rox and ran to where she last saw Keegan.

"Keegan," she yelled as she looked over the tree and saw the small woman lying still in the bushes. "Can you hear me?"

Sloan quickly climbed over the tree. "Keegan you have to let me know some how if you are okay." She cautiously stepped around to get a look at Keegan.

The blonde woman's hair was soaked with blood and her left arm was at an odd angle. Sloan unbuttoned her shirt and took it off, "you have to be okay." She used it to wrap Keegan's head in to help stop the blood flow. "I have to go get help, but I don't want to leave you here by yourself."

Rox neighed on the other side of the tree as an idea popped into Sloan's mind. She searched Keegan's pockets for the notepad she always had with her. "Thank you God," Sloan groaned when she found it.

Sloan shook her hand to get it to stop shaking and quickly wrote a simple note saying she needed help and that Keegan was hurt bad. Then she climbed back over the tree and used a long piece of grass to tie the note to the saddle.

Sloan wrapped the reins around the saddle horn so they wouldn't get caught up in anything. "Now listen to me girl. I need you to go get help. Go back to the barn." She slapped the horse rump and watched her take off in the direction of the ranch. "Hurry, please."

******************************

Half an hour later Sloan heard the voices calling her name. "We're over here." She yelled.

Donovan and Evan were the first to arrive. The stable manager quickly knelt down by his niece. "What happened?"

"I had stopped and I heard her coming, but I didn't know she was that close. I didn't have time to move or anything. She was just there and she went off the trail. She purposely avoided hitting me and Rox." Sloan said as she continued to hold Keegan's hand her eyes never leaving the unresponsive blonde.

"Honey, why don't you come here and let Donovan get Keegan ready to move." Evan gestured to Sloan to stand by him.

"No, Dad I can't. I promised that I would stay with her. I can't leave her." The upset brunette cried.

Donovan looked up at Evan and Evan shrugged his shoulders. He had never seen his daughter act like this. Her emotion so open and a look of being lost. "Okay, you can stay with her until the paramedics get here."

Sloan nodded her head, but didn't say anything. She sat there and held Keegan's hand and caressed the uninjured arm and stared at the dirty face.

Donovan continued to check on Keegan until the paramedics arrived several minutes later. Evan was able to get her daughter to release her hold on Keegan just long enough for them to strap her to a stretcher.

"What hospital will you be taking her too?" Donovan asked as helped carry his niece down the path.

"She'll go to F and A General." One of the paramedics replied. "The ambulance is just a little way up ahead."

"I will be riding with her." Donovan said.

"That is no problem," the other paramedic stated. "You will ride up front with me."

"Okay," Donovan answered as he looked down at his still unconscious niece.

"I want to come too," Sloan walked up to Donovan.

Donovan turned to look at his boss. "That's fine."

"Thanks," Sloan whispered as she reached to touch Keegan.

******************************

Sloan sat next to the gurney in the back of the ambulance and watched as Keegan was worked on. The cut on her head was about two inches long and was still bleeding. The paramedic was changing the gauze pad when Sloan noticed Keegan's eyes flutter.

'She's waking up," Sloan pointed and tried to undo her seatbelt.

The paramedic noticed what she was doing, "please stay belted in."

"I want her to know I'm still here." Sloan clicked the belt and knelt down on the floor of the moving ambulance. "Keegan can you hear me?"

Keegan blinked her eyes a few times and tried to focus them on Sloan. She held up three fingers.

"Three? Three what?" Sloan asked.

Keegan pointed at Sloan and held out three fingers again.

"Oh, you see three of me." Sloan realized.

Keegan nodded her head, but quickly closed her eyes as the world around her began to spin.

"You really whacked your head and you have a broken arm and a nasty cut on your head." Sloan informed Keegan who still had her eyes closed, but she reached across her body with her hand so she could hold Sloan's hand.

"Keegan, I'm really sorry for what I said to you. I don't understand why I said that. It was so wrong and uncalled for. Please forgive me." Sloan closed her eyes as she felt Keegan tighten her hold on her fingers. The hold began to get tighter and tighter. "Umm, Keegan you're going to break my fingers." The tall woman groaned as she opened her eyes.

Keegan didn't let loose Sloan's fingers she just slowly tightened her grasp.

"Keegan," Sloan tried to get her hand free, but it was no use. "Let go."

Keegan opened her eyes and let Sloan's finger slip from her hold. She smiled up at the Sloan who was rubbed her finger to get the circulation back into her hand.

"You really need to get back into your seat ma'am." The paramedic said.

Sloan looked over at him and then down at Keegan. "I don't think that will be a problem. She doesn't need me anymore."

Keegan grinned to herself as she watched Sloan buckle herself back into her seat. "That was kinda fun."

******************************

Keegan was in her own room resting when the door opened slowly.

"You are going to go in aren't you?" Shannon asked softly.

Sloan looked from her mom to Keegan's still body. "You go in and then let me know how she is."

Shannon giggled then shoved Sloan into the room. "You big baby. With the way you are acting nobody would guess that you run a multimillion dollar company."

"Running that is a lot easier than being in the same room as her." Sloan mumbled as she stepped closer to the bed.

'She's sleeping and I don't think she is dangerous. Just look at her all peaceful." Shannon walked around the other side of the bed.

"It's all a lie. Looks can be very deceiving. Watch," Sloan carefully picked up Keegan's hand. With in a second her hand was grasped in a tight fist. "See," Sloan moaned as she fought to get her hand free.

Shannon laughed, "Keegan would you kindly let my daughters hand go."

With one last quick squeeze she let go.

"Thanks," Sloan stepped back.

Shannon brushed some blonde hair off the bandage that covered Keegan's entire forehead. "How are you doing dear?"

Keegan opened her eyes and raised her hand and waved it from side to side. She held up two fingers and pointed to the older woman.

"I don't understand," Shannon looked over at her daughter.

"She means that she sees two of you. She is improving she saw three of me in the ambulance." Sloan informed her Mom as she sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"Well that is good. The doctor told us that he wants to keep you here over night." Shannon told Keegan.

Keegan shook her head and started to rise.

Sloan jumped up out of the chair. "Where do you think you are going?"

Keegan fought her way up to a sitting position. She held her hand out and acted out writing.

"Hold on dear," Shannon ran out of the room towards the nurses' desk "I need some paper and a pen."

"Why?" A snobby nurse asked rudely.

Shannon glared at her, "because the patient in there needs one to write on."

"I'm sorry I can't do that." The nurse answered and went back to her file she was working on.

"Why?" Shannon grabbed the pen the woman was using to write with.

The nurse stood up and grabbed her pen back, "because I said so. That's why."

"Do you have any idea who I am?" Shannon asked as she stood straight up.

"I don't care if you are the Queen of England. If you don't get away from here I will call security and have you thrown out of here for disturbing the peace." The nurse leaned over and grabbed the phone.

"Oh really? Well see about that." Shannon stormed back into Keegan's room.

Sloan looked at her Mom when she walked into the room. "Did you get a notepad and pen?"

"No, but I will." Shannon replied.

Sloan could tell her Mom was pissed, "what's wrong Mom?" She asked as she walked around the bed to talk to her Mom.

Keegan saw her chance and tossed the covers off her legs. Then she pulled the IV out of the back of her hand. She lowered her legs and nearly gasped out when her feet hit the cold floor. Slowly she wobbled next to the bed. She looked over at Sloan and Shannon who had their backs to her. Then with a small push off the bed she stumbled to the door.

"Shit, Keegan get back here." Sloan yelled.

Keegan quickened her steps and made it out into the hallway. Her progress was stopped as she ran right into the nurse who was rude to Shannon. They both fell to the ground pushing and twisting their bodies to get away from the other.

"Get away from me," the nurse ordered as she used her one of her feet and kick Keegan's cast arm.

Keegan grabbed her broken hand and held it against her chest. She gasped in order to catch her breath from the pain she was feeling.

"Are you stupid or something?" The nurse asked as she stood up. "Answer me you crazy weirdo."

"I suggest you back up and not say another word," Sloan growled as she stepped in front of the nurse.

The nurse looked up into angry blue eyes, "she ran into me. She should be in bed."

"That is no excuse to call her names and humiliate her like you just did." Sloan glared at the blonde nurse.

"I will treat her the way I see fit. This is my floor and I do what I want." The nurse stated and crossed her arm over her chest.

"You think so," Sloan glanced down to the nametag, "nurse Hornell."

"I don't think, I know." Nurse Hornell poked Sloan in the chest with her finger.

"Let me introduce myself, Sloan Addams." Sloan stuck out her hand to shake the nurses' hand.

"Addams?" The nurse gulped as she gave Sloan's hand a weak shake. She knew that name, shit everybody knew that name.

"Yes, and the woman that asked for a pen earlier was my mother and the woman you happen to be degrading is a close friend of mine." Sloan knelt down to Keegan. "You okay?"

Keegan nodded and sat up.

"I had no idea who they were. I'm so sorry." Nurse Hornell gushed as she went to help Keegan off the floor.

"No," Sloan pushed the nurses' hands back. "I will help her. You just make sure you have all your belongings packed."

"What do you mean," the nurse asked.

"This is your last day. You are rude and inconsiderate of people's feelings and I don't think you need to be working in this kind of environment." Sloan grabbed Keegan under the arms and pulled her up.

"You can't come in here and threaten my job like that." The nurse stepped closer to Sloan.

Sloan gently walked Keegan to the door of her room. Her mom stood there with a big smirk on her face. "Would you help her back into bed and if she decides to make a run for it again sit on her."

"She won't try anything," Shannon winked at her daughter.

Sloan nodded before she turned back towards the nurse. "Now listen and listen good, because I'm only going to say this once. The A on the outside of this building stands for Addams and that would be me. I give more money to this hospital than you will make in three life times. So I think if I want someone gone they will be gone."

"I'll sue you and this hospital." Nurse Hornell yelled as she stormed to the nurses' desk.

Sloan followed right behind her, "you can try, but I bet I can get several statements from patients on this floor alone saying that you didn't give a rats ass about them or their care."

"You are nothing but a fucking rich bitch who likes to ruin the small man." Nurse Hornell grabbed her coat and purse. "Go ahead and fire me." She spat and stormed off.

Sloan picked up the phone as she watched the angry nurse stomp down the hallway to the elevators. "This is Sloan Addams and we need a new nurse sent up to the second floor please." She listened for a second then hung up.

******************************

Sloan walked into the room; "well you don't have to worry about the nurse from hell anymore."

"Good," Shannon stepped away from the bed and kissed her daughter. "Is there a new nurse out there?"

"They are going to be sending up someone." Sloan smiled down at her Mom. "So how is our little run away?"

"Well, she ripped out her IV and needs to have it put back in. Other than that she is okay." Shannon shook her finger at Keegan who had the sense to look away. "I'll go and wait for the new nurse." She said and walked out the door.

"You want to tell me why you ran for it?" Sloan dropped a notepad and pen she picked up on the blonde's lap.

Keegan shook her head and sat there picking at her cast.

"Fine don't tell me I don't care really." Sloan sat in the chair next to the bed and propped her feet on the edge of the bed. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

Keegan watched Sloan out of the corner of her eye. Slowly she pushed the blankets down and swung her legs over the edge again.

"You move one more inch and I will find some rope somewhere and tie your stubborn ass to that bed." Sloan growled with one eye open.

Keegan hit the bed with her fist as she swung her legs back on the bed and covered them back up. She crossed her arm over her chest and pouted.

"That lip pokes out any further a bird is going to land on it and make a nest inside your mouth." Sloan opened her other eye and watched Keegan slowly bit her lower lip. "Much better."

Keegan glared at Sloan and flipped her off.

"Mature," Sloan laughed.

******************************

"Hi, honey," Evan said as he walked down the hall with Donovan.

"Hi dear," Shannon kissed her husband. "Hello Donovan."

"Hello ma'am," Donovan replied. "Is Keegan awake?"

"Yes she is, and already caused some trouble." Shannon giggled as she rested her head on Evan's shoulder.

"Oh no, what did she do?" Donovan asked as he stopped walking.

Shannon patted the man on the back, "nothing much. Just tried to make a run for it."

"Shit," Donovan glanced up at Shannon. "Sorry. It's just I should have remembered that she hates hospitals."

'I kinda figured that by the way she tried to sneak out of here." Shannon replied. "What made her so afraid?"

"After her family was killed and she wouldn't talk they put her into psychiatric ward and locked her in a room by herself." Donovan rubbed his face and sighed. "I don't think she will stay. I will have to stay here with her until they discharge her."

"That poor girl," Shannon gasped. "How could they do that to her?"

"No place else to put her I guess. She wouldn't talk and barely acknowledged anyone's presence." Donovan shrugged his shoulders. "It took them three day to find me."

"I don't blame her one bit for being scared of hospitals." Evan stated with a frown.

Shannon stepped into the hospital room and a smile crossed her face, "I don't think you will have to stay"

"Why?" Donovan asked as he looked over at Keegan then over to his boss. Both were sound asleep.

"I don't think Sloan will let Keegan sneak out. Why don't we come back in the morning." Even suggested.

"Sounds like a good plan," Donovan smiled over at the two women then followed Evan and Shannon out of the room.

******************************

"Good breakfast?" Sloan asked as she watched Keegan scoop up some watery eggs and frown.

Keegan looked at Sloan out of the corner of her eye and lifted up a fork full and pretended like she was going to fling it at the tall brunette.

Sloan crossed her arms over her chest and smiled. "Remember I'll getcha back if you do."

Keegan dropped the fork and leaned back.

Sloan took a deep breath; "can I ask you a question?"

Keegan turned and gave her a slight nod.

"Why don't you learn sign language?" Sloan asked.

Keegan grabbed the notepad and pen that sat next to her tray of food. "I have no need for it. I know someday I will talk again."

Sloan read the note, "but now you can't so why not learn too. That way you won't have to write everything down."

"It wouldn't matter anyway. Nobody I know knows signing. I would still have to write everything down." Keegan wrote back.

"You could teach us. I know I'd learn." Sloan stated as she handed Keegan back her notepad.

Keegan stared at Sloan for a few seconds before she started to write. "Why would you do that? I am nothing to you but someone who works in your stable. Why do you care?"

Sloan stood up and began to pace. "I know I have put my big foot in my mouth several times since you came to work at Winter Escape. I'm not sure why I said those things. I'm usually very polite and well mannered, but when I get around you, you just drive me crazy and my mouth works faster than my brain." Sloan stopped and turned to look at smiling green eyes. "You are loving this aren't you? You want to see how far you can push me and look like a fool?"

Keegan acted like she was thinking and then shook her head. "No need for me to make you look like a fool. You do that so well on your own."

"Ha ha," Sloan rested her hands on her hips. "I have never been around anyone who can infuriate me as much as you do."

Keegan pointed her finer at her chest and mouthed, "me?"

"Yes, you." Sloan shook her head and closed her eyes. "I'm going for a walk. I'll be back in a little bit."

Keegan waved and waited until Sloan was out of the room. She quickly pushed the tray aside that held her uneatable breakfast and tossed the blankets off her leg. She quickly headed towards the small closet and grabbed her jeans and shoes that were there, leaving on the top part of the hospital gown since her shirt was cut off her last night in the emergency room. Not able to get the bottom fastened on her jeans she left it and slipped her shoes on. "Now to get out of here."

******************************

"Do you think you have enough?" Evan teased Shannon as they stepped out of the elevator.

"You remember what the food here is like?" Shannon raised an eyebrow at her husband.

Evan shivered, "yes, man was it horrid."

"Now you see why I brought so much." Shannon walked down the hall.

Evan grinned at his wife's back. "I married a smart woman."

He stepped into the room and looked at his wife. "What's wrong?"

"They're gone," Shannon put down the three containers of food on the bed. "I wonder where they went. Keegan wasn't being discharged was she?"

"Not that I know," Evan answered as he walked out of the room and headed for the nurses desk. "Excuse me, could you tell us where the young woman is in room 225."

"She should be in there. Two of her friends just left. One went that way and the other went down in the elevators." The nurse pointed with her pen.

Evan rubbed his face, "was one a tall dark haired woman?"

The nurse nodded, "she went that way." She pointed in the opposite direction of the elevators.

"Okay, was the other a small blonde?" Evan smiled when the nurse nodded. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," the nurse replied and went back to her paper work.

******************************

Sloan found a quite corner and sat down next to a big aquarium filled with tropical fish. She watched the orange and white fish swim around their small home. One seemed to be staring at her, as it's little fins kept it in the same spot. "What are you looking at?" She flicked the glass and watched, as the fish didn't even flinch.

"Excuse me?" An old man asked as he stopped in front of Sloan.

Sloan sat up, "yes?"

"Have you seen my daughter?" The man asked as he held himself up with the help of a walker.

Sloan smiled as she shook her head, "no, I'm sorry I haven't seen her."

"Okay thanks," the man responded. "Would you mind if I sit with you?"

"Sure," Sloan sighed.

The man sat down with a grunt; "my name is Elmo." He held out his to Sloan.

Sloan took the old wrinkled hand into hers and gave it a slight shake, "Sloan."

"Well Sloan what is a beautiful woman like yourself doing in a crappy place like this?" Elmo asked as he moved his walker off to the side.

"Friend of mine was hurt," Sloan answered as she stretched out her legs.

Elmo scratched his head, "your friend, is she going to be okay?"

"Yes, she is just fine." Sloan closed her eyes.

"You know sometimes it is easier to talk to a stranger than it is someone close to you." Elmo informed Sloan. "I maybe old, but my hearing is as good as it ever was."

"I appreciate it, but there isn't anything to talk about." Sloan looked over at the old man.

Elmo nodded his head and sat back.

Sloan watched Elmo out of the corner of her eye. "Okay, my friend has been driving me crazy. She drives me to the point that makes me want to strangle her." She brought her hands up and shook them in front of her as she pretended to tighten her hold on someone neck.

"I've felt that way about my best friend. With in a minute span I could be smiling and laughing and then the next I want to poke out eyes." Elmo laughed.

Sloan laughed, "plus for some odd reason I keep doing stuff that I normally don't do."

"Like what?" Elmo asked.

"Well, my friend doesn't talk and I keep putting my foot in my mouth saying inappropriate things." Sloan rested her elbows on her knees. "It's just every time I turn around she is right in my face."

"Do you think that is why you do the things you have been doing?" Elmo questioned with a raised gray eyebrow.

"I don't understand. Why would that have me saying and doing things I normally don't do?" Sloan turned slightly in her chair to get a better look at the man.

"Your friend throws you off. You aren't treated like you normally are and most people don't like that." Elmo stated with a shrug.

"Could be," Sloan looked up at the fish again.

"You know something?" Elmo grabbed his walker. "Even though my best friend drives me crazy I wouldn't change her one bit."

"That special to you?" Sloan asked softly as she watched the man stand.

Elmo grinned, "more special to me than anything in this world."

"Oh, there you are." An old woman stepped up to Elmo.

"Yep here I am," Elmo winked at the woman. "Sloan, I would like you to meet my best friend and my wife, Hazel."

"Hello, it's nice meeting you." Sloan stood up and shook the woman's hand.

"Same here, now come on Elmo time for you to get some rest." Hazel guided her husband down the hall.

Elmo stopped and turned slowly, "remember, even though you want to kill them sometimes life is much better with them in it."

"Thanks and you are right. My life is better with her in it." Sloan waved and headed off in the direction of Keegan's room.

******************************

"She's gone," Shannon said as soon as she saw her daughter.

Sloan closed her eyes. "Damn it, do we know which way she went?"

"The nurse said she took one of the elevators. From there we have no idea." Evan informed his daughter.

"Okay, I bet she is heading towards the ranch. So I guess we try there and then if she isn't there we backtrack." Sloan headed off towards the elevators.

******************************

"Where ya going sweet thing?" The ugly smelly man asked Keegan as she continued to walk down the road.

Keegan crossed her arms over her chest and walked straight. Her head was beginning to hurt and her fingers had started to throb on her broken arm.

"Come on with me. I can show you a good time. Just hop on up here and we'll take off." The man smiled showing off his green and yellow teeth.

Keegan quickened her step as she shook her head. "I think I should have stayed at the hospital."

The guy in the truck grunted and rolled up the window. He stepped on the gas and raced down the road, but did a U-turn in the middle of the road. He gunned the engine so hard it made the truck rock back and forth.

"Shit," Keegan sighed and covered her eyes with her hand.

******************************

Sloan slowed her car as she spotted Keegan's form standing along the side of the road with her head in her hands. "I wonder what she got herself into now?" She asked when she saw the truck stopped in front of the small blonde. "Damn it, of all the people she could of run into it had to be that jerk."

"What in the hell do you think you are doing?" Sloan asked as she pulled up along side Keegan.

Keegan's head snapped up and she looked over at Sloan. "Double shit." She quickly turned around and headed in the opposite direction of both vehicles.

Sloan shifted her car into reverse; "do you really think that you are going to get away from me?"

Keegan stopped and lowered her head, "crap, she's right. I might as well just get in the damn car." She reached for the door handle, but jumped out of her skin when a loud horn bellowed.

"Get in the car," Sloan ordered as she eyed the big truck and its driver.

Keegan quickly opened the door and jumped in.

Sloan didn't wait until Keegan had the door closed. She slammed on the gas pedal and skidded through the gravel. "Put your seatbelt on. That jerk is a dumb as they come and he might follow us." She did a quick U-turn right in front of the truck and sped down the road.

Sloan glanced in her review mirror and growled when the truck began to follow them, "asshole."

Keegan turned in her seat to look out the back window. "Great hillbilly Jo is following us."

"Why couldn't you have just stayed in the hospital?" Sloan asked as she guided the car around a tight curve.

Keegan flipped off Sloan and stuck out her tongue.

"You keep doing that and I will cut them both off." Sloan glanced over at Keegan. "With a very dull knife."

Keegan slapped her knee and pretended to laugh.

"I am so not kidding. Do you have any idea who that jerk is that is following us is?" Sloan asked as she maneuvered her car around a slow moving tractor.

Keegan shook her head, which she immediately regretted as the pain worsened.

"You okay," Sloan asked softly as she grabbed a hold of Keegan's cast covered wrist.

Keegan closed her eyes and reached for Sloan's hand with her uninjured hand. She gave the driver a slight squeeze before she passed out.

"Keegan?" Sloan gently nudged Keegan's shoulder.

A loud horn blared from behind her car and her body jerked as the truck bumped into her backend.. "Damn it." Sloan had, had enough of this game and gunned the engine and sped ahead of the truck and it's occupant. "You will be hearing from me you dick head."

******************************

Keegan opened her eyes and looked into pissed off blue.

"Do you have any idea how pissed off I am at you. Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you could be in right now if fuck head Ragy Flint had gotten ahold of you?" Sloan began to pace. "You are lucky I found you. If you had passed out on that road this afternoon God only knows if anyone would ever see you alive again."

Keegan sat up and glared at Sloan. She gestured to Sloan for a pen and paper.

"What could you possibly say that could make the situation you put yourself into any better?" Sloan asked as she grabbed the items off the other bed in the room.

"I was not going to stay here any longer than necessary. I felt I was fine and ready to leave. So I left." Keegan wrote.

"Well apparently you were very, very wrong." Sloan stepped closer to the bed. "You passed out in my car. You need time to heal and you won't get that running away all the time."

"I despise hospitals and I don't want to stay here." Keegan tossed Sloan the notepad.

Sloan growled, "well, I don't like hospitals any better than you do, but if I need to stay in one I will until the doctor gives me the okay to leave."

Keegan quickly wrote, "You weren't left in one when you were a little girl. People treating you like you were some sort of freak because you didn't speak. Shit, I just saw my parents killed in front of my eyes. I saw ever lunge of the knife that entered my mother. The way her eyes held the pain even when she was dead staring lifelessly at me."

"You're right. I have never lived through anything that horrendous, but you are not alone. I'm right here with you." Sloan sat on the edge of the bed.

"For how long?" Keegan wiped the tears that fell down her checks with the back of her hand.

Sloan tossed the notepad and pen onto the floor. "I'll be here for as long as you need me."

Keegan slumped into Sloan's arms and cried.

"You just have to stop pissing me off." Sloan said as she rubbed Keegan's back.

******************************

Donovan walked into the hospital room and the sight of his niece being held by his boss made him smile. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No," Sloan patted Keegan on the back and guided her to lay back on the bed. "Just making sure she is okay is all."

"Okay," Donovan smiled as he walked the rest of the way in the room. "I hear you made an escape."

Keegan nodded as she lowered her eyes.

Donovan waited a few seconds before he grasped Keegan's hand. "You shouldn't have done that. You could have been really hurt."

"She knows, now." Sloan stood up. "I think I will run down and get something to drink. Do you two want anything?"

"I'm fine," Donovan replied.

Keegan gestured that she'd like something to drink.

"Soda okay?' Sloan asked as she walked back towards the door.

Keegan nodded and smiled. "Thanks," she mouthed.

Sloan grinned back and winked, "be back in a little bit."

******************************

Sloan decided that she might as well get something to eat. She picked out a ham and cheese sandwich and some chips.

"Well look who we have here," a snotty voice said.

Sloan groaned and sat her tray on the closest table, "well if it isn't nurse Hornell."

"Don't you mean ex-nurse. Since it was you that fired me." The ex-employee snapped.

"You don't blame yourself for it at all do you?" Sloan asked then shook her head. "Of course you don't. You think treating patients like shit is the right thing to do. You feel all higher than they are because you have to take care of them."

"Of course I do and why shouldn't I? They are the weak ones who got sick, not me." The blonde nurse stated as she pointed to herself.

Sloan grabbed ahold of the woman's hand and squeezed, "do you really believe that? Because if you do you are sicker than any patient we have in the psychology department."

"Let me go you bitch." The mad woman pulled her hand loose. "I will get you back for firing me."

"Get out of my hospital now before I have you arrested." Sloan's eyes narrowed as she pointed towards the door.

"This will not be the last time you hear from me." The angry woman shoved past Sloan and headed out the door.

"Can anything else go wrong today?" Sloan mumbled to herself as she grabbed her tray and walked out of the cafeteria.

******************************

"Okay, so you promise not to take off again," Donovan stood at the foot of Keegan's bed. "I'll be by to pick you up tomorrow."

"You won't have to. I'll be here and I'll bring her home." Sloan said as she walked into the room. "Here ya go Keegan, one drink." She handed the small woman a large soda with ice.

"You sure, you have been here since last night." Donovan asked as he watched his boss sit in the chair she had fallen asleep in last night.

Sloan nodded her head, "I'm sure."

"Alright then, I will leave you two and get back to the ranch." Donovan blew his niece a kiss and waved at his boss. "Bye."

Keegan waved back at her uncle as she took a long drink.

"Bye Donovan," Sloan unwrapped half of her sandwich and took a healthy bite.

Keegan looked over at Sloan and started to drool. She realized that it had been a long time since she had eaten. She wiggled her fingers at Sloan's other half of sandwich.

Sloan chewed for a second before she swallowed, "you want this?" She pointed down at the ham and cheese sandwich.

Keegan nodded and sat up a bit.

"No," Sloan took another bite.

Keegan glared at her and reached for her notepad. "Yes."

"This is my sandwich and you can't have any." The tall brunette stated as she finished off her first half.

Keegan grabbed her drink and took a sip. She never took her eyes off of Sloan.

Sloan slowly unwrapped the rest of her sandwich and smiled as she brought it up to her mouth. A cold piece of ice bounced off her forehead. "You did not just throw ice at me."

Keegan reached into her cup and tossed a handful right at Sloan's face and chest.

Sloan picked up a wet slippery piece of ice that was melting on her lap. She glared up at Keegan who smiled at her. "I was just kidding, now I will finish it all." She raised the sandwich to her mouth and took a big bite.

Keegan growled and tossed her whole soda at the seated woman.

******************************

"I still cannot believe that you did that." Sloan said as she pulled her car up next to the barn.

Keegan shrugged her shoulders and glared at the driver.

"It's not my fault you can't take a joke." Sloan opened her door and stepped out. "You know I will have to get you back, right."

Keegan shrugged her shoulders again and opened her own door to get out.

"When you least expect it, WHAMM," Sloan slammed her door. "You'll be mine."

Keegan jumped and looked over the top of the car to meet narrow blue eyes. "I think I am in trouble."

"So I will talk to you later?" Sloan smiled at Keegan.

Keegan nodded and started towards her room.

Sloan's smiled turned into a smirk. "WHAMMM," she slammed her hand on the top of her car.

Keegan jumped and tripped over her feet when she quickly turned towards her boss. "Maybe I can sneak out of here tonight and never come back."

******************************

For the next several days every time Sloan got within ten feet of Keegan she'd mouth, wham.

"This waiting is killing me. I wish she'd just get it over with." Keegan sat on a bench and ran her hand through her short blonde hair.

Majestic stuck his head over the stall and blew a shot of hot breath down Keegan's shirt collar.

"Would you stop it. That feels funny." The small silent woman stood up and scratched his chin. "You want to go for a walk?"

The black stallion neighed softly and nipped at Keegan's hair.

"Okay, give me a minute to go tell Uncle Donovan where I'm going." Keegan walked out of the barn and flipped her sunglasses on as she glanced around for her uncle. "Damn it, he was just out here. I'll just leave him a note." She walked back in and taped a note to Majestic's stall. "Come on boy, lets go."

The stallion waited until Keegan unlatched his stall before he stepped out.

"You are such a good boy," Keegan smiled up at the big animal as they walked out into the bright sunny afternoon. "Where do you want to go today?"

Majestic headed towards the forest.

"Okay, a nice long walk in the woods sounds perfect. Maybe we will find some snow." Keegan thought as she looked up at the snow capped mountains that surrounded most of the ranch. "They sure did name this place right. Soon this will be a winter escape."

The two friends walked side by side for awhile until they made it to a clearing. The bright afternoon sun disappeared behind soft white clouds. "Looks like the snow is going to find us, boy." Keegan rubbed her hand down the horses back and over his rump. "Go and run around a bit before we get caught up in it." She patted him in the rear end before he took off like a bolt of lightening.

Keegan stood there transfixed as she watched the strong black horse race around the clearing. Big wet snow flacks fell all around them, giving an almost serene feeling.

******************************

Sloan stopped just behind Keegan. She had decided to follow the blonde and continue to torment her, but the sight that stood before her stopped her in her tracks. She watched silently as the woman turned her face up towards the sky and closed her eyes. "That is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen." The tall dark haired woman thought.

******************************

The skin on the back of Keegan's neck tingled. She opened her eyes and looked around to see why she felt someone was watching her. A dark form standing behind her made her jump slightly as she turned all away around.

Sloan smiled and stepped forward, "hi."

Keegan swallowed as Sloan moved closer to her as snow began to fall faster. She gave a small wave back never breaking eye contact.

"How's he doing today?" Sloan asked as she stopped in front of Keegan.

Keegan nodded as she watched a snow flake land on Sloan's face. Without even thinking she reached up and wiped it off.

Sloan closed her eyes and brought her hand up to keep Keegan's hand where it was. "I have never seen anything as breath taking as you standing here with the snow falling all around you."

Keegan went to step closer to the warm body in front of her, but she stopped herself. She quickly withdrew her hand and pointed at Sloan.

"What?" Sloan asked as she opened her eyes and watched Keegan shake her head.

Keegan reached into her pocket. "You had me for a few seconds, but I'm on to you. I fall for this and then you pull your, WHAMM."

"What?" Sloan repeated. "You think that I was joking, just to get you back?"

Keegan nodded as she put her hands on her hips.

Sloan threw her hands up into the air and screamed, "you are a real piece of work. I may want to get you back for what you did in the hospital, but I would never get you like that." She whipped around and headed back towards the woods.

Keegan felt her heart land in her stomach as she watched Sloan disappear into the forest. "I think I may have made a big mistake."

******************************

"Boy look at you," Stephanie said as she saw her sister walking down the stairs. "Where you going all dolled up?"

"I'm just going out." Sloan replied as she stopped at the bottom of the steps.

Stephanie whistled, "you look like you are on the prowl."

Sloan smirked, "never know. I could be."

"Could be?" The small Addams shook her head and ran her finger across her sister's shoulder. "Yeah right, you are so freaking hot. Silk white shirt under a black suit jacket. Then you have the tight ass blue jeans with the polished snake skin cowboy boots."

"Never know who I might meet." Sloan slapped at her sister's hand that pinched her butt. "Stop that."

"You going to finally see what the world has to offer in the love department?" Stephanie wiggled her eyebrows as she sat down on the steps.

"I just feel like going out and hopefully I will have a great time." Sloan sighed as she sat down next to her sister.

Stephanie wrapped her arm around Sloan and rested her head on her shoulder. "You still seem pretty upset about what happened with Keegan?"

"I wish I never told you what happened." Sloan mumbled as she rested her head against Stephanie's head.

"Well when you stormed in last week nearly knocking me to the ground I had to find out what crawled up your butt." Stephanie patted Sloan's bent knee. "She really effects you doesn't she?"

"Yes, for some reason she has seemed to have gotten under my skin. I have purposely stayed away from the stables all week, just so I won't have to face her." Sloan replied.

"I have never known you to run from anything." Stephanie turned her head to look into her sister's eyes. "Why are you doing it now?"

"I'm not running," Sloan stood up and began to pace the entryway.

Stephanie watched her sister wave her hands around mumbling to herself about how infuriating the small blonde woman made her. She hid a smile behind her hand and tried not to laugh, "You want to know what I think?"

"Not particularly," Sloan replied.

Stephanie shock her head, "fine figure it out on your own."

Sloan raised an eyebrow as she stopped. "Figure what out on my own?"

Stephanie sighed, "that you are so in love with Keegan that you can't see straight."

******************************

Sloan sat outside the bar watching several patrons walk in. The music playing inside filled the quiet night every time the door was opened.

"I guess they have live music tonight," Sloan said as she opened her door. "No use sitting here missing it." She stood up, locked and shut the door. The gravel under her feet crunched as the cold evening wind blew her dark hair up off her shoulders.

******************************

Keegan sat on the stool. Her eyes closed as her fingers went to work. The feeling of peaceful serenity filled as every cord was plucked. The noise around her was unheard in her ears. The only sound she heard was the music her heart gave the crowd.

******************************

Sloan stood memorized by the bar. The sight of Keegan up on stage shocked her. She didn't have a clue that the small ranch hand could play like she was. The guitar sang out to her with every pluck of the cords.

"She's good isn't she?" The bartender asked as she wiped off the top of the bar.

Sloan nodded her head; "she is magnificent."

"It's strange though. She usually plays more upbeat and fast music, but for the past several days it's been this kind of stuff. Not that anyone is complaining." The curly haired bartender stated. "She could just pluck out Mary had a Little Lamb and she'd bring in the crowd."

""How long has she been coming here?" Sloan asked as she took a seat.

"For several weeks now. She just walked in one night and started to play." Replied the bartender. "What can I get for you?"

"I'll take a beer," Sloan grabbed a handful of peanuts that sat in a brown bowl next to her elbow.

"Tap?" The bartender asked.

"No, I'll take a bottle of Bud light, thanks." Sloan said before she tossed several peanuts into her mouth.

Sloan slowly chewed the salty bits as Keegan started another song. She never heard this one or in fact the one she played before. "What song is this?" She asked the bartender when she walked up with her drink.

"No clue, she plays her own stuff." The bartender placed the drink in front of Sloan. "If you need me just yell, my name is, Sharon."

"Thanks, Sharon I will." Sloan raised her beer and took a long drink. "Just what I needed."

******************************

Keegan opened her eyes as she finished her last song. The people on the dance floor clapped and cheered. She smiled and took a small bow.

"You going to come home with me tonight?" A soft velvet voice asked from behind.

Keegan stood up and placed her instrument into its case. She locked the latches and turned to the person and shook her head.

"Come on, you know you want to." The woman pouted as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Keegan walked up to the woman and rested her guitar at their feet. She grabbed the woman by the shoulders and stuck her tongue out at her.

"Okay fine, Sharon would have a fit with two women in her bed. She'd have no clue what in the world to do." Francine laughed as she brought her into a hug.

"I would too know what to do," Sharon swatted Francine on the butt. "It's just that you are way to much woman for me to handle. If you toss in another it would kill me."

"You so know what to say." Francine was about to grab the glass of water Sharon had, but her girlfriend stopped her.

"Sorry, babe," Sharon handed Keegan the glass. "It's all hers. From the tall gorgeous woman at the bar."

Keegan turned to look but nobody was there. She turned back at Sharon with a confused look.

Sharon glanced around the interior of the bar; "she was just there."

Keegan shrugged her shoulders. It didn't matter she was thirsty and needed a drink.

"So what did this gorgeous woman look like?" Francine asked as she wiggled her eyebrows.

"Well, she had the darkest long hair and the bluest eyes I have ever seen." Sharon described.

Keegan new as soon as her friend had said blue eyes who had brought her the drink. She slowly turned to see if she could see Sloan. When she came up with nothing she sighed and hung her head. "She was probably being nice. Not sure why she would be after the way I slammed her in the clearing the other night."

"Hey kid, what's the matter?" Sharon asked as she rubbed Keegan's back.

Keegan took a deep breath and shook her head and smiled.

"You sure?" Francine had noticed how she looked around the bar and the frown that appeared when she didn't see what she wanted.

Keegan nodded as she grasped Francine's hand.

"Okay, let's go get something to eat." Francine smiled as she wrapped her arm around her girlfriend's waist. "My treat."

"Hot damn," Sharon, yelled.

Keegan followed her two friends. She couldn't believe that the two women in front of her had been together for seven years. They were like night and day, where Sharon had long curly brown hair and muscles that where hidden by the ever present sweatshirt. Francine was a small as a mouse with bright red hair and the greenest eyes Keegan had ever seen. She had nearly died laughing one night when Sharon had done something to piss off Francine and the small woman had cut into her like there was no tomorrow, the big muscular woman had cowered like a scolded puppy.

******************************

Sloan ducked behind a wooden pillar when she saw Keegan and her friends looking for her. She knew as soon as Sharon described her to Keegan she would know instantly who sent the ice water to her.

"Well look who is slumming," an annoying voice slurred behind Sloan.

"Don't you even get near me you fucking slug." Sloan growled as she turned to look at Ragy Flint.

Ragy downed his rum and coke in one swallow and slammed the glass on the table. "You shouldn't have interfered with me picking up that cute assed blonde the other day."

"You'd have a better chance at picking up a rabid dog." Sloan tried to step away from the drunken man, but he reached out and grabbed the bottom of her coat. "Let me go." She glared at him as she grasped his hand and twisted it.

"Let me go you fucking bitch," Ragy grabbed a bottle of beer and tossed it at Sloan's head.

Shards of glass and foamy beer sprayed Sloan when the bottle shattered against the wooden pillar next to her. "I should break your hand."

"No, I think you should let him go." Sharon ordered as she stepped up next to the pair.

"Do what she says; let me go." Ragy smirked.

Sloan gave Ragy's wrist one final twist and let it go. She stood up straight waiting to see what the bartender would do. When Sharon stepped closer to her she made a fist ready to punch if she was touched.

"Excuse me," Sharon grinned. "Asshole will need his coat as he is leaving."

"What? I wasn't the one who had someone's arm twisted just about ready to break." Ragy yelled as he grabbed his coat that Sharon tossed at him.

"You were the one who started it. I know you were. You need not ever come back in here." Sharon grabbed him by the collar of his dirty shirt and guided him to the front door. "You understand me?"

"Fine," Ragy stumbled as Sharon opened the door and shoved him out into the cold night.

Sloan jumped when a wet towel was pressed against the side of her head. She looked down and Keegan was standing next to her showing her that she had blood to whip off.

"Hi," Sloan said as she got lost in the emerald depth of Keegan's eyes.

Keegan raised her hand back up to Sloan's face and smiled.

******************************

"What happened to your face?" Shannon asked her daughter as she walked into the kitchen.

"Ragy tossed a beer bottle at my head," Sloan replied as she stopped so her mom could get a look at the several small cuts along her cheek.

"Why in the world would you even get within three feet of that man?" Shannon looked into her daughter eyes she saw a spark there she had never seen before. "Oh my," she gasped.

"What, does it look that bad. I didn't think it looked that bad this morning." Sloan raised her hand to her face but her mom stopped her hand.

"Who is the lucky woman?" Shannon whispered softly.

Sloan cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow, "lucky woman?"

"Yes," Shannon brought her other hand to Sloan's heart. "The woman who has finally stolen your heart."

Sloan lowered her head and sighed. "How can you tell that?"

"Love can be shown through several different things, but the window to the soul is the eyes and your have a spark there that wasn't there before." The older Addams woman stated with a small smile.

Sloan closed her eyes and remembered the caring green eyes that held hers while Keegan wiped blood off her face last night. "She just snuck in and took hold of my heart. I was pretty sure she didn't feel the same until last night after my encounter with Ragy."

"It's Keegan isn't it?" Shannon kissed Sloan's forehead.

Sloan nodded, "yes." She opened her eyes. "What do I do?"

"Oh, baby, follow your heart. It won't do you wrong." Shannon guided her daughter over to the kitchen table. "Sit and I will get you your breakfast and we will have a nice heart to heart."

******************************

Donovan watched his niece stand in the middle of the stall she was cleaning staring off into space. "You won't get this done any faster if you stand there all day."

Keegan turned to glared at her uncle.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," he raised his hands up and smiled. "You want to tell me what has you so thrown out of sorts lately?"

Keegan shook her head and started back to work.

Donovan walked up behind her and rubbed her back. "Leave that for now and talk."

The small woman dropped the pitchfork and turned towards her uncle. Tears started to fall as she stepped into his open arms.

"Oh, honey, what's the matter?" Donovan asked.

Keegan stayed in her uncle arms for a few more minutes before she took in a deep breath. She stepped back and reached for her notepad. "I'm so confused."

"Why?" Donovan asked after he read what she wrote.

Keegan kicked at the straw on the floor of the stall as she wrote. "My insides are all twisted and my mind is fuzzy. All I want to do is either play my guitar or walk with Majestic. I can't keep my mind on anything else?well maybe one other thing and I shouldn't be thinking about that."

Donovan scratched his ever-present stubble, "you going to tell me the other thing?"

"Sloan," was the only word she wrote.

"Okay," Donovan leaned against the wall. "Does your skin feel like it is on fire if she is near?" He watched Keegan nod. "Does your heart beat ten times faster when you think about or see her?" Keegan continued to nod. "My dear, you sound like you are attracted to her."

"Are you nuts?" Keegan quickly wrote.

"No," Donovan laughed.

"You think that I'm in love with her? She drives me nuts, crazy." Keegan tossed the paper at her uncle and began to pace.

"Stop for a second," Donovan said a little louder then he wanted. He looked at his niece and sighed, "I never said love."

Keegan face's dropped.

"If it is love, don't run from it. Grab ahold of it and let it be your guide. It will bring you the greatest happiness you have ever known." Donovan stepped closer to Keegan and cupped her face. "Love is the greatest thing in the world. It can bring down the strongest person or it can make you the strongest person."

Keegan closed her eyes and tears ran down the already streaked face. She started to shake her head and moved away from her uncle. "I loved once and that was all taken away from me. I won't do that again no matter what. Sloan could give me the world and it still wouldn't be enough." She ran out of the stall after she handed her uncle her declaration of her heart.

"Oh Keegan," Donovan rubbed his face. "I need to talk to Sloan."

******************************


Sloan walked down the road that led to the stalls. The chill of the morning did nothing to dampen her mood. The talk she had with her mom gave her the confidence to try and talk to Keegan again. Her mom told her to just put the clearing evening out of her mind and start fresh.

"Hey, Donovan," Sloan yelled, "do you know where you niece is. I really need to talk to her."

"Not right at the moment. Do you think I could have a few words with you?" Donovan asked as he stepped in stride with Sloan.

"Sure, what's on your mind?" Sloan smiled.

"Umm, how do you feel about my niece?" Donovan quickly asked.

Sloan stopped and looked at the man. "Why do you want to know?"

"Shit, she is going to kill me, but damn it I have to know so I can help." Donovan ran his hands through his hair.

"Help with what?" Sloan rested her hands on her hips.

Donovan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He looked up into his bosses' eyes. "Do you love my niece?"

Sloan nodded, "yes I do."

"Oh, good," Donovan mumbled.

"Glad you approve," Sloan started walking but Donovan's hand stopped her.

"I may approve but Keegan doesn't. Well she does but she won't accept it." Donovan reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out Keegan's note. "Please read this.

Sloan grabbed the paper, "what is this?"

"It's how she is feeling." Donovan answered. "She is very, very scared right now and ..well just read it."

Sloan opened the folded paper and read what Keegan had written. "She doesn't want to take a chance?"

"She doesn't want to get hurt like she did when her family was killed." Donovan lowered his head. "You are the only one who will change her mind and you know how stubborn she can be."

"Ohhh, yes I know all about her stubbornness." Sloan groaned. "Where do you think she might be?"

"For the last several days she has been taking Majestic out to the clearing through the woods." Donovan pointed.

"I know the spot," Sloan replied as she remembered the night she watched Keegan.

"All I ask is please don't hurt her," Donovan begged.

"That is the furthest thought from my mind." Sloan honestly replied. "I love her and I will do my best to show her."

"Thank you," Donovan grinned.

******************************

Sloan glanced around the clearing. Some snow had stuck from the light snowfall they had a couple of days ago. She noticed Majestic standing around a tree neighing softly. When the big horse stepped back a few feet she saw Keegan sitting on the ground with her knees bent up close to her chest and her head resting on top of her knees.

Sloan looked at the paper in her hand and thought for a minute what she was going to say to the young woman that held her heart. Then she remembered her Mom has always said speak from your heart and you will never go wrong. "Here goes nothing," she whispered to the wind.

Keegan heard the crunching of leaves that didn't sound like Majestic. She looked up just in time to see Sloan kneel in front of her.

"I would give you the world if you wanted it, but I what I want you to have is my heart. I think I gave it to you the first night I saw you." Sloan stared straight into the depth of Keegan's watery green eyes.

Keegan saw the love in Sloan's eyes and tears started to fall down her cheeks. The fear of loosing someone she loved was far too great for her to chance that kind of pain again.

Sloan watched as Keegan slowly began to shake her head. "I know you are afraid of loosing me or anyone else you might love, but I promise with every ounce of my being that I will never leave you."

Keegan shoved Sloan to the ground. Tears continued to fall freely down her checks. She stood up quickly and started to walk off. "No, I will not do that again."

Sloan pushed herself up off the cold hard ground and followed Keegan. When she reached her she grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around. "I will not let you run from this. I love you and I want you in my life forever. You have crawled inside my soul and my heart. I ache whenever I'm not around you. Your soul feeds me the life energy I need to live."

Keegan closed her eyes and willed herself not to follow what her heart and soul cried for. She fought it and nearly won. The softness of Sloan's lips against hers startled her. She felt the tall woman move closer to her as she cupped her face. The soft lips moved across her cheek and up her face to her closed eyes and down the other side of her face to her lips again. She knew she had lost the fight when Sloan's tongue asked for entrance and she gladly gave it.

******************************

Continued in part two?.

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