Ezra opened his eyes slowly. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but it had stolen him away nonetheless.

Ridley and Vin had arrived early that afternoon to visit with Trina. While Ezra was glad for the support, he worried about the constant fuss. Ridley had insisted on sitting with her friend, ushering him and Tanner out of the room.

Seeking solace in the quiet of the living room, he had only meant to rest for a moment, laying down on the couch. But his fatigue had been stronger than he had realized. Pulling himself up into a sitting position, he ran his fingers through his hair as he inhaled deeply. A warm, hearty smell filled the air. He could hear a soft hum from the kitchen and for a second, he was certain it was Trina. With a smile, he hurried to his feet and headed toward the noise.

"Trina, what are you....."

"I'm sorry Ezra," Ridley said with a smile as she wiped her hands on the apron tied to her waist. "It's just me." She took a deep breath as she took in the lawman's haggard appearance. Her heart bleed for him, the pain she knew he was suffering. Not to mention the devastation, she knew that Trina was going through. "I wanted to make some dinner for you and Trina. Vin's upstairs sitting with her now. I hope you don't mind."

Ezra realized the disappointment that covered his face. He offered her a caring smile. "Thank you Ridley. I appreciate that, and I'm sure Trina is happy to have your and Vin's company. I hate leaving her alone after....," his voice began to trail off as he ran his fingers through his chestnut hair.

Feeling the sadness that seemed to radiate off of him, Ridley tried to change the subject. "I don't know if you should be thanking me so quickly," she said as she pulled the oven door open. Grabbing a towel and a pot holder off of the counter, she pulled the covered pan out. "I'm not much of a cook, Ezra." Sitting the pan on the top of the stove, Ridley set the towels back down. Offering him a bright, genuine smile, she continued. "But I try. I just hope it's okay."

Ezra returned to smile. "I'm sure it will be good." Seeing her desperate desire to do good for him and Trina, Ezra realized how lucky he was to have such a wonderful support system in his friends in Four Corners. Crossing the large kitchen, he offered her a gentle hug.

Ridley was caught off guard by the handsome lawman's display of affection. Returning the hug, she felt overjoyed. Never had she met people like those since her arrival to town. Taking Ezra's hand, she squeezed it gently. "It's going to be okay Ezra. It's going to take a great deal of time I'm sure, but eventually......" Ridley didn't finish. Instead she just smiled. "You know, Vin's actually the better cook," she said, turning back to the stove.

"I heard my name," Vin Tanner said as he entered the room. "Better have been good, woman."

Ezra looked up at him in surprise, turning toward Ridley to see the same astonished look.

A slow mischievous smile spread across Tanner's face. "Sweet pea? Sugar bear? Lover girl?" he added as he stepped up to Ridley, placing a quick kiss on her lips.

Ridley hit him playfully on the chest. "You think you are funny, don't you?"

Turning to Ezra, Vin shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I do try."

Ezra shook his head, softly laughing to himself. He had seen an incredible change in the Texan since Ridley's arrival. Once a sullen, straight arrow; he was now always happy, a playful spirited person. He was happy for Vin.

Standing before him, the smile slipped from Vin's face. "I know you are probably sick of hearing this Ez, but you doing okay?"

Ezra met Vin's clear blue eyes and was touched by the deep concern he saw. "I will be." Looking to Ridley, Ezra smiled. "It's just going to take time."

Ridley smiled grandly. "There's a salad in the fridge. You just need to add the dressing. I've got a roast here. There are potatoes in the microwave and rice here in this pan," Ridley said pulling the silver lid off of a pan that sat on the back burner. "Oh yeah, and Vin made rolls. There on the table." Taking of the apron, Ridley set it on the counter. "Everything's ready for when you all want to eat. We need to get going so I'm going to say bye to Trina." Turning to Vin, she kissed his quickly on the lips. "I'll be right back. Then we can head over to Buck's."

"Thank you Ridley," Ezra said as he hugged her once again.

Blushing profusely, Ridley returned the gesture. "Just be strong Ezra. Trina needs you to be strong." Turning, she left the room and headed for the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I can't believe that a mother could do that. It's unbelievable," Ridley said as she pulled off the back of the silver hoop she wore. Removing the earring, she replaced the back and tossed it on the vanity. "Drew's baby died. How could Maude deny her the right to hold her own child? And telling her that Lacey was there? That was just brutal."

Vin tossed his leather jacket in a chair in the corner. "I don't know. This is low...even for Maude," Vin said, running his callused hands across his face. "She ain't never been mother of the year or nothing, but this....this is too cruel even for her."

"Did you see Buck?" Ridley asked, unzipping the side zipper on her leather ankle boot. "He is so devastated. I know I haven't known him long, but he looks absolutely destroyed."

"Hell, sugar, he is. He lost his son and can't find his wife. He's lost it all. But I know Buck. He ain't gonna stop until he finds her," Vin said with certainty. "Man, I can't even imagine what Buck's going through." The thought of losing Ridley crossed his mind and Vin shuttered.

Kicking off both of her boots, Ridley stood with her hands on her hips. "It's just so tragic." She turned to the mirror, picking up a brush and began absently running it through her hair. "Did you see the bruises on her face? The fear in her eyes? Vin, even in her own bed, she looked terrified."

Ridley paused briefly, a look of disgust crossing her face. "God, I'm so stupid. I told her it would get easier in time," she said harshly, berating herself as she pulled her brush forcefully through her auburn locks. "What was I thinking?...." Her voice trailed off as tears spilled from her big brown eyes.

"Rid, don't do this to yourself. What happened was horrible, but don't work yourself into a frenzy," Vin said calmly as he crossed the room, approaching Ridley from behind as she stood facing the mirror. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently ran them down her arms, but she didn't notice.

Instead, she only stared hauntingly in the mirror. The color had drained from her face as wet streaks marred her pale cheeks. Immediately, alarms went off in Vin's mind. "Sugar, what's the matter?"

But she didn't answer. Instead, she tilted her head to one side, her eyes fixed on her reflection. Vin noticed that her bangs were brushed back from her forehead. Immediately, he realized what she was looking at. A deep red scar that ran along her hair line stood out prominently against her pain skin.

It was as if she had forgotten Vin was there. She raised her hand slowly to her forehead, trailing her fingers along the grizzly length of the reminder. "Some times time doesn't heal all wounds," she said softly, her voice almost a whisper. "You can get over it, but you can never forget.....never."

There was a long pause as the couple stood silently in the middle of the large bedroom. Offering her a smile, Vin squeezed her shoulders gently as Ridley continued to trail her fingers down her temple to her jaw-line. Clearing her throat, she dropped her hand. "When I use to ride rodeo, it was my life." She smiled, staring at Vin in the mirror. "It seemed like that was all that existed. The rodeos, the pageants, the crowds......I didn't know anything else."

Another long pause filled the air as the smile began to slip from her face. "You know...I knew I was going down the second Storm took that corner."

Ridley paused, her eyes staring into space and Vin knew that she was reliving that horrible day all over again. "Sugar...."

"It was strange really," she continued, not hearing him. "My focus had been so strong on the course in front of me, the barrels, the finish line.....I couldn't see anything else but that. When Storm's side hit the ground, I felt my leg shatter."

She looked up at Vin with an eerie smile on her face. "It sounded like it does when you crack your knuckles. That's why I hate that habit so much." She shook her head as she turned back to face the mirror. As quick as her smile had appeared, it began to fade. "Up to that point, it all seemed in slow motion. The sound of the crowd was so loud in my ears that it felt as if my head would explode, but the weight of Storm on top of me....that was fast, and that was when it all became real. "

Ridley began to cry harder, and Vin was certain that she was completely unaware of her actions. It broke his heart to see such pain in her beautiful face, such loss in her dark brown eyes. Something inside of him said to let her continue; that she needed to continue. Not for him, but for her.

She sighed heavily as she drew her hands to her chest, clasping them together tightly. "I can't even remember how long I stayed at that hospital. But I just knew my life was over." She met Vin's blue eyes, her own pleading for him to understand. "It was all I had ever known."

Vin shook his head in agreement, his eyes full of empathy.

Ridley continued. "I lost my faith in everything. I had no trust, no confidence. It was all different."

"But you persevered and here you are......beautiful, healthy, a success," Vin said softly as he slipped his arms around her waist. "Life ain't always what we expect, sugar, but that's how we get through. We take one step back every once in a while and two steps forward."

He kissed her on the temple, planting his lips gently on the portion of the scar that ran there. "You may not ever forget the things that happen to you in life, but you learn from them, grow with them. You rely on your family, your friends, and you get through. Just as you did. Just as Trina will with a lot of support, and just as Buck and Drew will, God willing."

Ridley stared at Vin's reflection in awe. Her tears had dried up as he spoke, and she hung on his every word. A brief silence fell between them, broken only by Ridley's growing bright smile. "I didn't know you to be a religious man Mr. Tanner," she said thoughtfully, marveled by how he always seemed to be able to surprise her.

Vin smiled grandly, tightening his hold on her waist and burying his face in the nook of her neck. "I ain't never been. But then you came into my life." Vin closed his eyes, inhaling deeply on her Lilac perfume as he brushed his cheek against the side of her face. "And I know that your love had to be a gift from the heavens above."

Ridley felt as if her heart would burst. Turning to face him, she brought her hand to his face, gently cupping his cheek. "I love you so much Vin Tanner," she said softly, her eyes drinking him in. "How did I get so blessed as to have someone like you in my life?"

Vin smiled seductively, his tongue flickering out to moisten his bottom lip. "Just lucky I guess." He pulled her to him, crushing her with his passionate embrace as his lips devoured hers. All the tragedy of the previous days were pushed to the back of their minds as they knew nothing but each other and the love that they felt.

.