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Scott cocks his head as Katie talks, digesting her reasoning for staying in Nevada, and her connection to this place. He doesn’t say a whole lot, but gives a start as she mentions heading back down. He’d been so comfortable that he’d lost all track of time.

“No, I don’t think heat stroke would be a very good ending for this trip. Though knowing me, it wouldn’t be something I couldn’t pull off.” He rolls his eyes, helping Katie clean up and head back.

Keeping a grasp on her hand, he follows along with her until they reach the cave. Pausing behind the waterfall again, he gives a little shrug. “Me? Leave Nevada? What would a homebody like me want someplace else?”

The corner of his mouth upturns. “Nah, guys like me set ourselves down in a cozy corner and stay there, lest we venture out too far and make more of a fool out of ourselves than we already have by our quirks and habits of hibernating behind computers.”

Scott gives Katie’s chin a light tweak before tightening his grip on her hand and stepping further into the cave, signaling the end of the conversation.

Finally getting back to the horses, Scott has to take a few minutes to figure everything out again and make sure he’d tightened the girth properly before mounting up again.

Crimson is a bit anxious to get back to the ranch and Scott has just a bit of trouble holding him back, especially with as sore as he already was. But making their way back down the mountain seemed not to take as long as it had coming up, and the sights were just as pretty.

As they reach gentler slopes, nearing the wider path, a rabbit darts across the path. Crimson, already hot and tired of moseying back to the barn, takes the opportunity to shy. Jumping to the side, he gives a little buck and tries to break out.

Scott feels the quick movement and immediately draws his reins back to keep the horse from bolting. But not having an experienced seat, his body is propelled straight up out of the saddle. With Crimson held back, Scott doesn’t fall off the side or the back, but comes back down hard too far forward, hitting the saddle horn before sliding back into the seat, both feet out of his stirrups.

Though Crimson can tell he’s not going to be allowed to bolt and simply keeps walking, Scott doubles over in pain, hunching over the front of the saddle, his eyes starting to water.

He sees Katie and Rocket beside him, but can’t find his voice just yet to even tell her he’s fine, and just lets Crimson keep on walking. Letting out his held breath and cringing, his face reddens with more embarrassment than anything. If Katie hadn’t seen where he landed, he wasn’t about to admit it.


Con just stands in the kitchen doorway for several minutes, watching Jamie interact with BJ, and enjoying the sweet picture.

“You have got to be Conrad.”

Con turns around, hearing someone speaking. “Pardon?”

Greg smiles. “Conrad?”

“That would be me.” Con approaches with an outstretched hand. “And you are…?”

“Greg Timble.”


Time passes slowly through the afternoon, and after resting for a while on the rock, Wyatt finally rises to join his father in fishing once again.

As the sun makes its way across the sky, he glances over to Aerith. “You are coming over to help us eat this fish for supper tonight, aren’t you?”