Spring Thunder |Heartland|

|V|

Alex rode Spring around with a sigh around the property, as she watched Amy rushing off to school to be late for it, yet again.

Alex looked over at the jumps where she used to practice with Winter and at the memories, her eyes flashed with pain.

She shook her head and Spring had stopped, sensing her pain, worry and the tension in her body from being in a place of uncertainty.

Alex sighed and she dismounted as she gently pulled the reins, over his head and she decided to walk him the rest of the way back.

It took them a good half an hour, but Alex decided that it was well-worth it, as she got him in the cross ties with a slightly painful expression.

Alex changed out the bridle and bit for his halter and she looked down at the stall on the end, that was Winter's once again and she sighed. Alex was quick to untack Spring as she started to groom him once again.

Alex sighed and she brought the tack into the tack room and her eyes were drawn almost immediately to the old jumping tack. Alex's eyes filled up and spilled over, and she put Spring's tack onto the wooden horse.

Alex wiped at her eyes before she started to scrub and clean the tack with soapy water, as she shook her head to try and clear it.

Alex finished with the tack and she hung up the bridle, as she walked into the isle again and she found that Keys had already let Spring out into one of the many paddocks.

Alex went back into the barn and she walked toward the last stall and she'd swallow her pain back, and she traced the name-plate on the stall door. "I am a sentimental idiot." She murmured at the sight of it, as she felt eyes on her.

Alex turned around to see Keys and Ty both standing there, looking at her and she sighed.

"I am fine, I just figure that we should put Spring in the stall." Alex spoke up, as Keys nodded slightly, as she shoved her hands into her pockets.

Ty was exercising Spartan in the round pen and Alex snorted at the sight of Caleb trying to get on Ty's nerves. "Leave him be, Caleb! Or, I can dock your pay!" Alex shouted and Caleb looked irritated at the threats as he walked back into the barn.

"Thanks Alex." Ty pointed out and Alex's eyes lit up with mischief, as he chuckled. "Wait... if I piss you off, you won't dock my pay, will you?" He asked and Alex shook her head.

"Not on your life, Borden. You want me to take Spartan out on a ride?" She asked and Ty shrugged, as he handed her the rope and Alex gently clicked her tongue as she unclipped the lunge line and she hands it over to Ty once again. "Hey boy." Alex murmured and she made sure to stay in his line of his sight, as Spartan whickered as he was allowing her to climb on bareback. "I need you to open the pen." Alex spoke and Ty nodded, as he did so.

Spartan took off the second that the gate was open and Alex whooped, as she held onto his mane and leaned forward a bit. Spartan took the old jumping course easily, as Alex hardly felt it until they landed and she was grinning like a total idiot when they came back, trotting.

Alex swung down and she was smiling, as she let Spartan out into the paddock with a smile on her face, and she chuckled.

"Well, you look happy." Keys noted and Alex walked into the barn, as she took over mucking stalls from Ty. "I'm guessing that you just needed to go for a good ride?" He asked and Alex nods, as Keys chuckled.

The next morning, the mustang had been let out and Keys jumped into his truck along with Alex, as Ty was ridin' in Jack's truck and they both had guns in order to keep the mustang moving.

Amy was screaming at Alex, who was doing well to take it in silence and she was shaking her head. "What if it was Winter out there?" Amy asked sharply and Alex's face twisted in the clear pain, and she dropped her head as she got back into Keys' truck as she leaned her head back against the seat.

Keys drove back in silence and when he shut the engine off Alex unbuckled her seatbelt and she was moving over to rest her head on his shoulder. "Hey, I'm here." He murmured as Alex was nodding slightly and she felt his hand squeezing hers gently.