Ok, so I lied. I couldn't wait to update, because I love love love this part!!

Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Sam raced to where Jake lay prone, dropping to her knees and frantically shaking his broad shoulders.

"Jake!"

She gingerly touched the bloody knot on the side of his head, above his temple before shaking him again.

"Jake!"

His head merely lolled to the side, and then his eyelids began to flutter.

"Jacob Ely, if you don't wake up in the next two seconds…"

Sam trailed off as she heard a thud behind her. She whirled around and screamed, falling back off of her heels and almost landing on Jake's chest. Gripping his hand tightly, she was about to scream again when a strong, brown arm caught her protectively around the waist and pulled her to a hard chest.

"Don't. Move."

Sam whimpered softly, eyes wide. She stared unmovingly at the huge cat that prowled in front of them.

The cougar took one step closer to them, and Sam jerked backward, gripping Jake's hand even more tightly, if that was possible.

"Easy, Brat." He squeezed her hand reassuringly before continuing his instructions.

"When I say, I'm going to get up and wave my hands and be generally obnoxious to try and scare it away. You are going to walk away very slowly, and hope it doesn't take any notice of you. Got it?"

Sam nodded once, too much in shock to speak. Jake must have been able to feel her tension, because the arm around her waist squeezed her gently, then he stood up slowly, bringing her with him.

Jake released her, waving his arms and shouting at the cougar as he stepped forward aggressively.

"Go on! Get away! Git!"

Sam took two steps away, and froze. The cougar turned its attention from Jake, and focused on her. It crouched down to the ground, muscles tensed. Sam knew enough about the large cats to know the danger signs. She had barely enough time to throw her arms above her head before a huge, heavy weight crashed into her, and she hit the ground hard.

Sam caught a glimpse of Jake's horrified, desperate face, and tried with all her might to throw off the cougar, to no avail. The cougar's claws dug into her shoulders and legs, and Sam grimaced as she struggled. Sam managed to punch the large cat squarely in the jaw with a thud, but it didn't even falter. Suddenly a furious yell split the air, and the weight was gone from her. Sam lay dazed on the ground.

It seemed like the next second when Jake's anxious face swam into view above her.

"Sam? Sam, come on, it's gone."

Sam looked up at him in mute relief, and she faintly registered the weighted look lift from his face as he saw her respond.

"Jake," she started.

"Shut up," he interrupted, and Sam found herself crushed in his strong arms. He hugged her for a few seconds, then let go in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You lost your hat," Sam noted. Jake grinned at her.

"Sacrifices, sacrifices."

Sam looked around, taking in the scene quickly. Jake's hat lay a few feet away from them, ripped to shreds. The huge cat was nowhere to be seen, but Jake's shirt was torn and bloody, and he had a knot on his head where he had hit it when he fell.

"Are you ok?" She asked, gesturing to his cuts.

"Yeah. Come on, we'd best go. It's a long way back."

Sam frowned at him for not answering to her satisfaction, but allowed him to take her hand and pull her to her feet.

Sam muttered angrily to herself as she stumbled in a hole in the ground for the third time.

"Stupid hole…"

Jake glanced back at her, but only commented, "Can see the ranch now, we'll be at Three Ponies in about twenty minutes. Or less," he added as he saw a rider loping steadily toward them.

Pretty soon Nate jumped to the ground beside Jake and Sam, dropping his horse's reins on the ground.

"Hey, little brother, where you been? Mom 'n' the Forsters practically had a fit, worrying about you two." Nate sounded casual, but Sam could see the worry in his dark brown eyes as he took in the bloodstains seeping through Jake's torn shirt and his missing hat.

"Cougar," Jake replied shortly, ignoring Nate's concern.

Nate just nodded, and turned back to his horse. "Come on, Sam. You're riding with me."
Sam protested feebly until Jake pushed her towards Nate's outstretched hand.

"Sam. Get on the horse."

"What about you?" Sam asked. "We've been walking a long time."

Jake's eyes regarded her with slight amusement. "I'm fine. I'll run beside you two."

Sam looked at him dubiously, but didn't argue when Nate pulled her up behind him.

"Hold on."

Sam watched Jake warily as he ran at a brisk pace beside them. He didn't even seem to be tired, much less in pain. They jogged into the ranch yard, and Maxine Ely bustled out of the kitchen and ran to meet them as Jake was helping Sam down.

"Jake! Sam! Thank goodness you're ok," she sighed.

She flinched when she got a better look at Jake, but he just led Sam into the house.

Sam sank tiredly into a chair, placing her head on her arms on the table. Mrs. Ely walked into the kitchen with a first aid kit in her hands.

"Sit down, Jake." Jake shook his head, and headed for the door.

"I have to call Wyatt first and tell him she's here."

Mrs. Ely shook her head.

"No. Nate can call. Sit down, Jake."

Jake, seeing it was useless to argue, sat down and let his mother fuss over the knot on his head.

"What on earth did you do?"

"Fell," Jake answered shortly.

Mrs. Ely dabbed at the cut with a cloth as Nate walked into the kitchen.

"All right, Sam?" he asked, shooting a hooded look at Jake.

"Fine," Sam started, but Jake interrupted. "Take a look at her hand."

Nate sat down at the table, gently taking Sam's right hand. He whistled, and called for his mother.

"Hey, mom, look familiar?" Mrs. Ely hurried over, and after one look asked, "Sam, what did you punch?"

Sam looked down at her hand and realized that it was swollen and red.

"Uh, I hit a cougar to try and get it off of me." Sam realized that Nate and Mrs. Ely were staring at her in horror and sympathy.

"My goodness," Mrs. Ely breathed. "Tell us what happened while Nate helps your hand. He can call your father in a minute, and he almost knows better than me by now what to do with hands like that." She shot Nate a reproachful look, but he just grinned at her.

Jake explained what had happened while Nate carefully pressed a bag of ice onto Sam's hand.

Mrs. Ely gasped. "My goodness, Jake, how did you get it off of Sam?"

Jake's eyes darkened. "Pulled," he said shortly. "Might've killed it if I wasn't so worried that it had hurt Sam. Would've if it had."

Nate eyed his brother with new respect. "Bet you would've, too."

Mrs. Ely glared at Nate. "Jake, did the cougar hurt you? Or Sam?"

Sam shook her head. Jake sighed, sending a sidelong glance at Sam, then pulled off his ripped shirt. Sam flinched when she saw the damage the huge cat had inflicted on her friend. There were four red lines running from his right shoulder to his chest where the cougar's claws had scratched him.

Jake's eyes met hers as if he thought she might faint at the sight of blood.

Sam thought she might.

"Um, I'm going to go outside for a minute," She stammered, shoving the ice into Nate's startled hands and running out of the kitchen.

Normally the sight of blood didn't bother her, but it was Jake'sblood. Sam shuddered, sitting down on the steps with her head on her knees.

She heard steps behind her, and the screen door shutting carefully. Nate sat next to her on the steps.

"You ok?" he asked finally.

"Yeah."

"He's had worse," Nate continued, not looking at her. "He'll be fine."

"I know."

Nate chuckled, fiddling with his hands. "You should've seen Jake's face when you ran out of the room. He wanted to come see if you were ok, but mom made him hold still. He made me come instead."

Sam laughed wryly. "Yeah. I kind of overreacted, I guess."

Nate shook his head. "Naw. I almost passed out myself when I saw you two walkin' back."

Sam dropped her head into her hands again, shuddering. "He was knocked out for a few minutes when the cougar was coming forward. I thought he wouldn't wake up in time."

Sam realized she was shivering when Nate took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders.

"You might be going into shock, Sam. Let me get mom." He stood up and turned toward the house.

"What's wrong?" Jake's alert voice came from the door. He pulled his shirt on over his head and strode over to Sam.

"Shock," Nate repeated.

Jake pulled her up from the steps by the shoulders and shook her gently. "Sam?"

"I-I'm f-fine, Jake."

Jake pulled the jacket tighter around her and steered her into the house.

"I was kinda wondering when this would happen," he said to Nate.

"Mom!" He yelled into the kitchen as he led her to the living room. "Sam's going into shock!"

"My goodness," Mrs. Ely fussed as the petite woman tucked a blanket over Sam's lap.

Sam weakly protested, but Mrs. Ely just ignored her. Nate sat down in a chair across the room while Jake hovered over her anxiously. "Nate, you call Wyatt?"

"Yeah. He's comin'."

"Good." Jake exhaled loudly, then collapsed in an armchair. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the back of his chair, his long legs stretched out wearily in front of him.

"T-tired, Jake?" Sam chattered.

"Yeah." He half opened one eye, and grinned blearily at her. "You think Wyatt'd let me take the rest of the day off since I saved you?"

"I t-think s-so." Sam laughed and lurched to her feet as the doorbell rang. "T-there's D-dad."

Nate beat her to the door, and Jake trailed behind. Wyatt took one look at her and took her under one arm, pulling her to his side.

"You ok, kiddo?"

"Yeah." The shivers were finally starting to abate.

"Nate, tell your mom I came for Sam, ok?" Nate nodded assent, and Wyatt turned to Jake.

"Thank you." They shook hands, man-to-man, and Jake nodded.

"Alright, Sam, lets get you home."

Sam and her father walked to the truck, and Sam settled down in the seat.

I'm ready for a really long nap.

Wow, really long. I love that part!!