She watched him breath, watched his chest rise and fall. She laced her fingers in his limp ones, and felt the warmth of his hand lying in hers. Amy watched his face, and knew behind his closed eyes there was still life. As she watched him sleep peacefully, her mind didn't let her forget how close he'd came to losing it. She could still hear the shot ring out, hear the bullet rip through him, hear him hit the ground. She was then forced to again watch his blood pour out of his body through her fingers. She could hear his struggled breathing, and still feel the terror that it would be his last. That he would take a breath, and then never draw another one. She could still see his face paling, and the life draining out of him. She gasped for air as the horrid memories forced through her mind. She didn't know how many times she would have to watch Ty dying, how many times she would have to be reminded how blessed she was that he hadn't. Tears stung her eyes. Partly from the fear and sickening pain she felt every time she was reminded what had happened, every time she remembered Ty's pained cries, the look on his face as his eyes had helplessly watched her, or the way his hand had fallen out of hers, unable to hold on any longer. But mostly the tears came because of her joy. She could feel Ty's hand in hers now, and she could see him lying there, he was alright.

Almost every morning it had been the same for the past few weeks since they'd brought him home from the hospital. While he was still there, and still unconscious, all Amy had been able to do was watch his still body and beg him to come back to her. Feel the agony that the threat of losing him brought, and knowing that with every moment he didn't wake, was less of a chance he ever would. It had been the worst feeling in her life. Every second of waiting felt like the moment he'd been shot, like the passing minutes when they'd driven him towards the hospital as he struggled to hold on to life. But now there was no adrenalin pulsing through her body, and no hope that something better was coming. The doctors had done all they could, Ty's strength had been the only thing that could save him. But finally he had waken, in pain and confusion. He had tried to piece back what had happened, what had brought him to where he was. But it hadn't come. His mind had raced for hopeless answers, panicked. Only when he'd seen Amy's worried face lean over him and heard the faint gasp of relief and the excited squeeze of her hand did the pain begin to fade from his eye. He felt a peace wash over him, with the knowledge she was there beside him. Her heart had stopped with joy and relief as she'd watched his eyes finally open, and she saw the life in them again. When he saw her face, the memories came flooding back in a distant blur. He had to focus to see them clearly in his mind. He remembered standing with her in the snow, waiting and hoping for the coming bullet to strike him. He remembered the pain that had come, and falling to the ground. Most clear was the cry from Amy, the way she had screamed his name. It still rang in his ears, the pain in her voice haunting him. The rest was broken and only fragments. He remembered being carried to the truck by Jack and Caleb. He could remember Amy sobbing, her pleading eyes desperate. He remembered her running beside him, her hand grabbing his before he had surrendered to the darkness he'd been fighting. He knew from his broken memory that even before he was unconscious his mind had been mostly gone, unable to grasp what was happening. Amy's face had been the last thing he'd seen before being forced away from her into darkness, and with relief, she was the first thing his waking eyes meet. As he'd began to grow stronger and heal, and as Amy finally realized and knew with defiance that he would live, the fear of how close to death he had come was finally real. It paralyzed her at times, when she was holding his hand, or brushing a gentle kiss against his forehead she remembered how precious those moments were, how close she was to losing him forever. Knowing how much she needed him, and how he'd almost been gone was what made her cry with joy now. He hadn't left her. He was still there, that's all that mattered. Almost every morning the gratefully tears had come as she watched him sleep.

Now the morning sun was spilling through the window, bathing the room in warm light falling over her and Ty's body. He was sleeping in the guest bedroom back at Heartland, and Mallory had for once willingly given it up, glad to finally be able to help. He had been recovering in there for the past couple weeks, his strength slowly returning. Every morning Amy came in as soon as she woke. Not to see if he was alright, she had finally been convinced that he would be by the hours of watching him breath, watching this sign of life come so easily and naturally. No, she now knew he was okay. She came every morning because she liked to watch him sleep peacefully, and she liked to be there when he woke. She reached out and brushed his face with her fingertips. A smile eased across her lips. Ty's eyes fluttered open. He took a deep breath as he pushed the sleep away. "Good morning Ty," Amy gently greeted him. "Morning," he said blinking in the bright morning light. A bigger smile broke across Amy's face as she watched him, beaming. She felt nothing but pure joy as she watched him wake. It flowed through her veins and she was filled with an almost child-like delight. But the love that was the source of her excitement at seeing Ty waking up to her was the most real thing she'd ever felt. "Did you sleep well?" she asked. "I've had better nights," Ty admitted. He winced when a throbbing pain came from his healing wound as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. "It's kind of hard to get comfortable," he told her. A hint of worry flashed across her face, and a trace of sadness too. "But I'm better now that you're here," he said squeezing her hand and smiling at her. He gazed into her eyes. He wanted that worried look on her face to vanish. It did. "Good," Amy returned his smile as she leaned in for a light kiss. "Do you want anything to eat? I could get you something," she asked. "Amy," Ty sighed. "You know I don't need waited on. The doctor said I could be up by now." He was so unbearably tired of feeling trapped and incapable of doing anything. At one point he had been, he knew Amy had watched him lying helplessly, dying. But he was ready to get up, ready to shown her he was okay. He was ready to claim his lost strength back. He needed to show Amy he was fine, and she needed to see it. Everything in him wanted to get up, to go outside and feel the breeze on his face, and finally fill his lungs with fresh air. He had been trapped inside far to long already. "I know," Amy said nodding. She was pleased he felt well enough to get up, but she hesitated to agree he was ready to go out. "I just don't want to rush things." "Believe me, I'm not," Ty assured her. "Fine," she relented, "after you eat, we can go outside as long as you promise to take it easy." "I promise," he smiled at her caution.

The morning had grown a little later when they sat on the porch, the sun on their faces. Ty rested his arm around her shoulder, and Amy sat next to him, their bodies touching. It was now very early spring, early enough that there could have still been snow. But this year it was unseasonably warm, and in the past couple week, the air had grown warmer, the bitter bite of winter almost completely gone, leaving a cool refreshing breeze to fill the air. Ty took a deep breath. It was the first time in weeks he'd been outside. He had been required to stay in under Amy's watchful eye while he healed. Now, as he enjoyed the fresh air, the sun as he closed his eyes against it to feel the warmth soak into his skin, and the sound of a waking spring, he appreciate the simply pleasure more that he'd ever been able to before. He admired the way it could make him feel, like he actually was alive again. He didn't feel like he was breathing empty breath anymore like he had since the moment he'd been shot. He was overwhelmed with appreciation for everything, above all, Amy by his side. "Ty?" her voice pulled his out of his thoughts. They had been sitting in silence for a couple minutes, both enjoying it more than any other time they'd shared for the same simple reason, they were together, something they had never question before everything happened. "Hm?" Ty said glancing at her. He could see a question in her eyes as she watched him. "Can I ask you something?" "Of course, anything," he replied feeling worry creep over him when he noted the concern on her face. "Right after we found each other," she said after hesitating. "Right before," she stopped. Ty glanced away hearing her unfinished words in his mind, hearing the shot ring out. "You kept saying you were sorry," she continued slowly, leaning into Ty. "Why?" She watched him breathlessly, waiting for the answer to the question that had taunted her since he'd whispered it in her ear. She saw his face drop, as sadness crept into his eye. "Because it was my fault, Amy" he said blankly, dropping his head, pain, regret in his voice. "What was," she asked, already guessing what his answer would be, but unable to believe what she was about to hear. "Everything. You getting kidnapped," he sounded like he was going to continue, but he didn't. "Everything," he just repeated instead. Amy was stunned by the pain in his face. Why was Ty doing this to himself? Why was he blaming himself? She knew how much it had to hurt. He didn't deserve it. "No Ty, it wasn't" she stammered staring into his green eye. She wanted him to believe her, he needed to. She touched his arm, begging him to listen. "It wasn't you fault at all." There was now a desperation in her voice. Ty had to believe her. It wasn't his fault. She slipped her arms around him, and hugged him against her. Maybe if he didn't listen to her words, he would listen to her body. He gave her a quick smile and hugged her back. But his eyes were unfocused as he stared over her head, knowing her denial didn't make it true. He knew it was his fault. The truth hurt, like being shot again. This time the pain didn't numb him, it was unbearable. It was the one thing he couldn't escape from. The guilt was always there, always so ready to remind him, ready to consume him in pain again. After a moment Amy pulled away. "Um, I'm going to get some water, you want anything?" she asked, needing a moment to gather her thoughts, to comprehend what she'd just heard Ty blame himself for. "Na, I'm just going to stay out here, haven't gotten too much fresh air lately," Ty told her. She nodded and stood as she walked into the house and then the kitchen, her eyes cast sadly towards the floor. The pain she'd just seen in Ty's face, in his eyes, still haunted her. "What's wrong? Is Ty alright?" Jack asked from where he was drinking coffee at the table when he noticed the look of her face. Lou, who had been standing at the sink, turned around to face them. Amy nodded. "He's alright, it's just that," she trailed off. "Just what," her grandpa pressed. "It's just that Ty blames himself for what happened. And I know how much it's hurting him," she said with confused frustration. "Why would he do that Grandpa?" Jack nodded, as if he already knew this. "Well I can't say that I'm surprised. Not with the way he was already feeling, and then what your dad said to him. I guess-" "Dad?" Amy interrupted. "What did he say?" "He blamed Ty for what happened. Told him it was his fault," Jack told her. "He did What?!" Amy yelled, her voice rising in anger. "Grandpa, are you sure?" Lou asked, struggling to believe her dad would actually do that. Jack nodded again. Amy shook her head in disbelief as she stormed towards the door. She felt like she'd been stabbed. She felt like she was the one that got shot, and her dad pulled the trigger. She felt so betrayed. How could he do that to Ty? She could imagine the pain Ty must have felt to have his instinctive guilt that is was his fault confirmed by Tim blaming him. She could feel the anger growing in her and her heartbeat quicken. When she walked out, Ty was standing from his seat. "Hey, I was just on my way in," he told her. "Ok, well um, I just going to take a walk." "Do you want me to come with you? I could probably use the exercise," he asked. "No, I'm fine. Go on in." she told him, "You sure?" he questioned. "Yeah," she nodded. "Alright," he agreed kissing her on the cheek before heading in. Amy didn't want his to go with her, she was afraid he wasn't ready for that yet, and she also fear she wouldn't be able to hide her obvious anger from him.

As she was coming up towards the house after walking by the pond, she hear the familiar roar of a truck pulling up to the house. There was no mistaking it, her dad. Part of her didn't want to see him, but most of her wanted to make him know how much his words had hurt Ty. She took a deep breath and walked steadily up towards him. "Dad," she said when she got there. "You blamed Ty? How could you do that?" She wore a look of frustrated disbelief. "What?" Tim questioned. "You told Ty it was his fault I got kidnapped," Amy said, her voice clearly relayed her anger, the anger fueled by the pain she'd seen in Ty's face. "And?" was all Tim said. "Dad!" she exploded. "It was not his fault. Okay? Listen to me, it wasn't his fault. Do you know how he feels now? You had no right to say that." "I had every right," Tim recanted. "You're unbelievable," Amy said shaking her head as she walking away. She felt hurt. "Amy, come on. I just-" "Whatever Dad," she yelled back at him. Tim watched his angry daughter walk away from him. He sighed, knowing he had to correct the hurt he caused Ty, to get her to forgive him. He walked towards the house as she stormed to the barn.

"Oh, Ty, there you are. I want to talk to you," Tim said coming into the family room where Ty was seated. "Is something wrong?" Ty asked, pushing himself up straighter on the couch. "No, no I just wanted to apologize for blaming you for what happened. It wasn't you fault, I was just-" "Hey," Ty interrupted. "It's fine. No worries." "No, no it's not fine. I was just worried-" Tim stammered. "Tim," Ty said look him in the eye, stifling the mumbled slaughter of words. "Really, it's fine." "No hard feelings then?" Tim asked relived as he stretched out his hand. "No hard feelings," Ty agreed as he took it. The handshake slightly shook his body, and he winced as pain shot through him. Tim recognized the look. "How is it?" he asked, pointing at Ty's side. "Still a little sore," Ty answered truthfully. "Yeah," Tim laughed. "I know how that feels." He slapped Ty on the back before walking away. Ty stood there shocked. Tim's words came rushing back at him, like they were reaching his ears for the first time. "It wasn't your fault." He'd heard Amy say it already, several times, begging him to believe her. But he hadn't. It was like there was something there, something keeping him from listening. His brain had refused to believe her. It would be wrong to agree with what he knew was a lie. But for the first time he heard it and did believe it. Like the wall of guilt that refused to let him hear Amy's true words was finally broken down. He didn't know why it took Tim's weak apology to hear it and know it was true. It was like Tim saying it was the one thing he needed to actually, finally believe it. He watched Tim walk away, as he felt relief flood him. It brought him peace he hadn't had for so long. The truth he'd been denying, the truth he'd only wished was true, finally took the burden he'd been carrying, leaving him finally happy, finally free of the guilt.

It was now the hour before night. The evening sky was gorgeous as they walked along the fence gazing at the horses in the fields. Beautiful sweeps of brilliant pink, orange, and purple streaked across the sky in front of the glowing backdrop of the setting sun. The vibrant colors were mesmerizing, lighting the whole sky, and wrapping them in a glowing, warm light that fell onto their faces. The evening air was still sharp from the traces of winter lingering into the early days of spring. Ty wrapped his arm around Amy's thin waist, holding her against his body as they walked. "Ty," she spoke softy. She couldn't get the look of guilty pain on his face out of her mind. "It really wasn't your fault. You know that right?" she asked, looking into his face. Ty glanced down at her and drew a deep breath. "I wish things would have been different. I wish it wouldn't have happened at all, but it did Amy, and I can't change it, but I'm ready to move on," he told her with complete honesty. He looked back at her, waiting for a reaction. She smiled as relief washed over her. Something in the rawness of his voice, in the emotion he spoke with told her he wasn't lying, that this time it was true. She could see in the his eyes and the way his looked at her now, the way he could look straight into her eye, something he hadn't been able to do before without seeing the guilt reflecting back at him, that he had finally, completely surrendered the guilt. "Good," she whispered as she leaned in for a kiss that Ty met. "Hey," he said after they pulled away, "Maybe we could go for a ride tomorrow or something," he suggested, looking at the horses grazing in the fields. "I know you haven't ridden in awhile." "I don't know if you're ready for that yet," Amy protested, concern clouding her face again. "Amy," Ty said looking at her firmly. "The doctors said I was fine and could do what I want now." "But you just got out of bed today," Amy continued. "Yeah, and I feel great. I Just want things to get back to normal," Ty insisted. Amy wanted to protest, she wanted to tell him to wait, but she didn't. She couldn't keep watch him every minute, as if waiting, expecting something to happen, dreading that it might. She had to stop questioning his growing strength and healing body. She wanted to help him move on more than anything, not hold him back. She couldn't treat him like a patient. He didn't deserve it. So she fought her emotions, took a deep breath and forced herself to say something else. "You're right, I know that. And I want things to get back to normal too. So, if you really think you're ready, why not go for a ride now?" She was shocked to hear the words come out of her mouth. She told herself it had nothing to do with how much she wanted to ride, but that was a lie. She did want to, and she knew Ty was right, he was ready. He needed her to push him, to encourage him. She had to release him to the freedom he needed and deserved. Ty look more surprised then she was to hear her say that. "Really? You want to?" he ask grinning. "Yeah," she nodded, smiling back.

"You're sure you're ready? We don't have to do this," Amy asked as fear temporarily crept over her again. "Yeah, I'm fine," Ty assured her. "Okay," she agreed. Even in her worry, she couldn't ignore the excitement growing in her over riding again. She hadn't done it since everything had happened, she hadn't been able to force herself away from Ty's side that long. She climbed up onto Spartan's bare back, his body felt so familiar under her. She suddenly realized how much she'd missed it during the last few weeks, and at that moment, nothing could be more perfect. She was going to ride Spartan again, and Ty, now well and safe, was going to with her. She couldn't conceal her happiness, or the grin on her face, nor did she try. Ty laughed up at her, smiling as well. Nothing gave him more joy than seeing Amy so happy again. "Ready?" she asked. Ty nodded that he was. She reached out and grasped his hand, pulled him as he swung himself up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He clasped his hands together, and he felt the warmth of her body against his. "Hold on," she whispered as she kick Spartan into motion. They started slow, but as Amy became confident that Ty's arms around her weren't going anywhere, that he really was fine, she couldn't fight Spartan's desire to go faster, and she finally let him. His strides became longer and faster, and they were soon speeding across the open fields. The freezing cold wind swept across Amy's face, and her lungs were filled with sharp fresh air. She felt the fall and ride of the earth under Spartan's beating hooves. She felt the rhythm of his gallop flow through her body. She could feel Ty's strong, warm arms around her, and felt a joy she hadn't found since that man had first taken her from Ty. She was filled with a consuming freedom from the fear that had captured every waking minute, and much of her sleep since it had all started, the terror that had rested deep in her since she'd seen that bullet rip through Ty. She hadn't been able to escape it. But now it fell, snatched away by the wind whipping passed her. It fell away like the ground sweeping away under Spartan's hooves. In the gallop of her horse under her and the safe arms of Ty around her, Amy finally found the peace she had silently, desperately been crying for.

It was now twilight, the fleeting time after the sun set, but before darkness came. The sky was growing darker and closer to night, but the clinging light of the sun that had already slipped below the horizon shown behind the dark blue, like it was desperate to keep the disappearing day alive, and lit the sky in the color it can only be at that quiet time of day. Amy finally pulled Spartan up when they had reached the crest of a hill high enough to see the house and barn and the night slipping over Heartland. She slid down from his back, and Ty followed her. They sank down into the tall grass being blown by the gentle breeze, like rolling waves of cool air over an ocean of grass. Ty wrapped both arms around Amy sitting beside him, and held her tightly. She rested her head against his shoulder, leaning against him, completely surrendering to his arms. Finally holding her, knowing they were both safe, Ty knew the pain he'd suffered had been worth it. Every drop of blood, every stabbing pain he'd felt when trying to draw a breath had been worth it. And he could heard the sounds that taunted him every minute, the sound of Amy calling for him to help her as the man drug her away, the empty silence that followed, the erupting shot of the gun, Amy's desperate cries calling his name, all begin to fade, to blow away with wind. He knew he was ready to move on from it all, to finally let it go. "Amy," he spoke just over a whisper, like he didn't want to disturb the quiet peacefulness that surrounded them. "What?" she asked in the same gentle tone. "Thank you." "For what?" she asked pressing herself against him tighter. "Everything. You're the reason I made it through this, you're the reason I lived. You being there kept me alive," he told her. "I had to," she whispered. "I couldn't live without you."

It was now almost dark, the light of the full moon shown on their skin, the night air blowing gently across their faces. Ty looked at Amy, and tears glistened in his green eyes. He knew he was so blessed to have her, so blessed to have her love. He knew he would never deserve her, no one ever could. She looked up into his face and met his eyes gazing at her. He was looking at her in a way no one had ever looked at her before, in a way she had only dared to dream of, in a way that made her feel like she was the only being on the earth for him to gazing at. She stared at him like he would disappear. Like she didn't deserve this time, or the way he looked at her and it would vanish. Like she wanted to remember this moment forever, to burn it into her memory, every detail, the way it felt to be in his arms, or the way his eyes shown in the moonlight as he watched her. He look at her like he was watching the sun rise for the first time, like she was the most breathtaking thing he would ever see. He looked at her like she was more precious than life itself, and to him she was. Her life meant more to him than the breath he breathed, or the beat of his heart. His eyes made her feel like the most special thing the earth had to offer, and she knew she could never earn the love that showed in his face. She was just bless enough for him to give it to her. They stared at each other, he could see the love in her smile, and she saw it in his eyes. "You're so beautiful," Ty whispered into the night air, unable to look away from her gazing eyes. "I love you Amy Fleming." "I love you too Ty Borden," she whispered back. They both leaned into a kiss, more perfect than any they'd ever shared. He cupped her face in his hands, her skin was warm in contrast to the cold air. She slipped one hand around his neck, the other on his chest as their lips pressed together. As they pulled apart just to stare at each other again, as they held each other in their arms, as they were lost in a deep love they would never stop feeling, they knew nothing could ever be more wrong then how right they felt together, nothing could pull them apart. They sat with their fingers laced together, pressed against each other, lost in pure joy like they never had before as the stars grew lighter in the night sky, and the wind pulled their gentle whispers away, leaving them in a perfect silence only interrupted by their soft breathing.

There it is, that's it, the end. I'm sorry it took a while. I hope the ending of this story didn't feel too rushed, but I don't want to be one of those writers who drag it on and on and on and deprecate the quality of the story. This one was mostly about Amy getting kidnapped and Ty finding her. Once that was over, I felt like I needed to rap it up. I hope I was able to do it in a way that didn't leave you feeling deprived. There are a lot of hospital/recovery Heartland fanfictions, and I just didn't feel like I needed to take this story there. Anyway, please review! Please review this final chapter, and the story as a whole. I would love to know what you think. Also, thank you to everyone who stuck with me and read, followed or reviewed this story. It meant everything to me. All those sweet, encouraging, and supportive reviews were absolutely incredible and made my first fanfiction an amazing experience. Thank you guys. I have a couple of ideas for a few more Heartland Fanfics, would you guys like to read them? Again, thank you so much and may God bless you all.