Running Free, Without Me

What A Day

I woke up to a bright light shining in my eyes. I laid on my back for a bit.

Knock. Knock. "Hay you awake?"

"Yah I am. You can come in." 

Lance came in and closed the door behind him. I sat on the bed beside me. He had a concerned look on his face when he asked, "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" I looked at him.

He rubbed the back of his hand. "You've been asleep for almost three days." He looked at me. "Are you sure your okay?"

"Three days?" I asked, he nodded. "But I was only there for almost three hours."

"Where?" he placed his hands on each side of my face. "What do you mean, love?" 

"They... Him... Her..." I looked at my hands. "I'm sorry." 

"Hay you have nothing to be sorry about."

"What did I miss while I was out?" I looked up to see him smiling at me. But there was still a hint of worry and confusion. 

"The fencing was delivered yesterday and in about an hour your horses will be arriving. Alex, Lyla, and some others are getting the stalls ready. Do you need some water? Do you wanna talk about it?"

I shook my head. "No thank you." he sighed and got up I grabbed his arm. "You do know she has been watching over you this whole time, don't you?" 

He froze. He knows who I'm talking about. "How do you know about her?" His voice was very stern. There was so much hurt that was turning into anger.

"I met her." he turned around and looked at me in a 'What you mean?' kind of look. "She looks so much like you now, to be honest. I promised her that I would take care of you and her."

"You met my sister." I nodded knowing that it wasn't really a question. He stumbled as he sat back down. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders I could feel them rise and fall. He was trying not to cry. "I never got a chance to actually meet her. I saw her when she was being wrapped as my mother sat there and cried. But I just wish I could have held her before they took her." 

"I know you do. But, hay..." He looked at me. "If you try you could probably feel her presence. Try it. Close your eyes and try to feel that light, but also very strong connection."

He closed his eyes. After a while, I could see a smile form. "I can feel her." 

"Where is she?" he opened his eyes and looked to his right. "She was over there. By the wall." I smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek. 

"We'll work on it but you should be able to see and talk to her after a while. This also goes for your parents as well." he pulled me in he wrapped his arms around my waist. "Thank you. Thank you so much. For everything." 

"No need to say thank you. You are my mate I'll do anything to make you happy." He leaned back to look at me. I grinned and him, he laughed, and for a second our lips touch.

XXX

I waited by the entrance of the stable. Checking my phone to see what time it was. "They'll be fine," Lance said coming up beside me. "Is everything ready?" I nodded and smiled. "Good. Now they should be here any min-" They pulled in. Four trucks with trailers behind each one. "See what I mean." I smiled and headed towards the front truck. 

"Good morning, K," Felix said getting out of the passenger side. He gave me a brief hug then headed to the back and opened the doors. Midnight and Shadow were inside. Shadow rushed over to me. I gave him some pets and a kiss on the nose. "He's been whining and making a big fuss ever since you left him so, to be honest, a lot of us are kind of glad to have him here with you. He HATES being separated from you." he leads Shadow out first and gave the reigns to me.

I lead shadow into the stable and to his stall. I turned around to leave and he started kicking the gate and slamming his head on the post. "Hay! Knock it off!" I yelled at him. He snorted at me. I walked up to the stall and hit my fist against the post. He backed up and stared at me. "I don't care how mad you get, you know better than to act like that around me. I'm not going to leave you again I promise. I need to help get everyone else in here then you and I will go for a run. Okay?" He was motionless for a bit then he finally came up and placed his head on the crown of mine. "Okay. Thank you I'll be back." He turned around and laid down.

"He's still just as stubborn as you are," Alex said as he and I got Lilly out of the trailer. Midnight decided to walk to his stable himself and lay down. Crazy horse. 

"Yup. And he'll never change." I smiled. 

"So what's going on with you and Lance? I mean like I don't mean to be rude or anything. It just seems like you two have something going on between you but it's still 'In the Closet'" he smiled.

"Yes, we do. And, yes it is. So don't mention it to anyone." He made a gesture as if he was zipping his mouth shut. "Thank you. I just want to wait until everything is settled down and the days start to become normal and calmer. Then I'll think about myself."

"I see. But doesn't this also involve him?" I nodded "Then don't you have to think about him."

"I have been and we agreed to come to a point where we're not making any drastic changes till everything is steady." 

"Good. At least you two are on the same side." He put Lilly in her stall and closed the gate. He looked behind me and smiled. "That should be all and he looks like he needs to talk to you so ima takes my leave." He gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek then left closing the stable doors as he left.

I was pulled back against something hard by my waist. "They just called wanting to know when they should expect a show." I turned around to face him. He put his forehead against mine. "But I told them to wait and that it would be a while since we don't have any riders trained here beside you." 

"I think we have one rider." Lance looked at me with questioning eyes. "I'm going to put Lyla on a horse." he smiled. "Do you think it's a good idea?" 

"Yes, and I believe she will come out a very good rider because she will have a great trainer." He kissed my forehead.

"No. She will have good trainers. I'm making you train with me." I smiled and kissed his cheek. Then walked over to Shadow who was waiting for and watching me. When he noticed that I was coming his way he started getting excited. I turned around to see Lance and Midnight getting along very well. "Shadow and I will be waiting for you two outside by the forest line. Don't take too long."

I left Lance in the barn and Shadow and I walked to the forest line. "You ready for a good run? Back home?"  Shadow looked into the forest for a while stomped his hoof and looked at me.

"Are the paths still there?" I shrugged my shoulders. "And does Mr. Take Her Away know I can talk to your families?"

"He was told when I was told but if he remembered is completely his knowledge." Shadow just snorted and looked back into the forest.

A few minutes later I hear Midnight's hooves coming closer. I looked at Lance to see him smiling at me. "Your gonna pay for that missy."

A rumbling noise came from Shadow and I nudged him with my heel to let him know that we're just messing around. I smiled at Lance "We'll see about that."

We both got onto our horses and we were off into the woods I have missed for years. What a day this has been.