this my new story hope somebody likes it. let me know. be nice please no flames. thanks

i do not own the Phantom Stallion Books only Terri Farley does. nor The Black Stallion books either only Walter Farley does. lol

this is a work of fiction. the characters that appear in The phantom stallion series are owned by Terri Farley except for the ones i make up.

incidents that may happen, and dialogues that character's say are product's of my imagination.

i also do not own or claim to know any resemblance to actual events or persons that may appear in this story.

The sound of bawling cattle, freshly churned arena dirt and the smell of heated horseflesh was pleasant to Samantha Forster's senses. She listened to the gentle chime of her spurs as she lead her black quarter horse stallion down the aisle way of one of the giant fancy barns at the Will Rogers Coliseum's arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

Sam turned and smiled at the big sweaty black horse walking patiently beside her. They had just finished their round in the NCHA Summer Spectacular Open Derby Semi-Finals.

A finely shaped black ear turned to her, catching her movement. The big black chewed quietly on his shank bit before letting out a yawn.

"You did good, Mister." Sam congratulated the black horse. He seemed to agree as he bumped his chin to his chest and curled his lip, his sharply defined muscles bunched as he arched his neck.

As Sam finally reached her assigned horse stalls she saw her friend and business partner Nicole Robenson giving a last minute check on her tacked up horse's cinch. Her sorrel stallion snorted a greeting at Sam's approach. Nikki turned and smiled at Sam. The laugh lines around her mouth becoming more pronounced, white teeth bright against the dark skin of her face.

Nikki is a fun loving, thrill seeking African American cowgirl from Miami, Florida. With a Don't-give-a-flying-fuck-on-what-you-think-'bout-me attitude and a barbed tongue to match. Nikki's family now lives in Weatherford, Texas and ran a small time performance horse breeding and training ranch. Sam and Nikki had first meet each other during freshman year in West Texas A&M University, they've been friends ever since.

"Wow Sammy," Nikki laughed, "that stud of yours sure did kill it out there. What I'd tell you about giving us losers a fighting chance at fame and stardom. Oh stop glaring at me you dumb animal!"

At the first sound of her voice, Sam's black stallion had laid his ears back so flat against his head that they were hidden within his thick wild mane.

Nikki and the stallion stood glaring at each other.

Nikki's horse shifted nervously

Sam sighed.

"No." Sam scolded as she gave the black horse a sharp slap on his sweaty shoulder. The stallion stopped glaring, to innocently look at something past Nikki as if nothing ever happened. He blew through his lips; Nikki was obviously not worth his time and effort.

"He's just like his damn mother. See what I'd tell you Sammy, aren't you glad you listened to me when I told you to name this son-of-a-bitch horse, The Black."

The Black only continued to eye Nikki suspiciously, seeming to know that she was bad mouthing him but choice not to do anything as he calmly stood beside Sam.

Sam only sighed again.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at her horse's registered name.

The Black.

She honestly couldn't remember why she had even decided to register her purebred American Quarter Horse after Walter Farley's fictional great black Arabian stallion.

Alright fine she did know why, but she hadn't planned on naming him that.

It was Nikki's fault really. And Sam had lost a bet.

Despite Nikki's constant teasing, Sam had decided to read the entire Black stallion book series on her kindle while on the road in her spare time. She was bored and hadn't read them since she was a kid.

About a week after finishing the series, the two friends had attended a quarter horse dispersal sale of the famous Babcock Ranch in Whitesboro, Texas. They had gone just to look at the horses, since they didn't have anything going on that day. Later that same day, Sam ended up buying a broodmare sired my Smart Chic Olena and out of a Reminic daughter.

Sam was later told by the mare's former owner, Bill Richardson that a friend's little girl had been calling the dark seal brown mare, Elf. After a fictional horse in the Black stallion books.

Nikki couldn't resist and relentlessly teased her friend.

If only Sam had known how much worse it was going to get from here on out.

A month later, one of Sam's broodmares back at Nikki's Family ranch, had given birth to a big beautiful black colt.

"It has to be faith!" Nikki had exclaimed to Sam.

Sam had just scoffed at her friend and told her that this black colt sired by Playgun a 1992 gray cutting quarter horse stallion, and would probably just turn gray like his sire before him. So it would be very dumb and pointless to name him 'The Black'

Nikki had only shrugged and then asked Sam if she was willing to bet on it; much to her older sister Michelle's exasperation.

The terms of the bet were if the black colt turned gray, like Sam thought he would, Nikki would pay to register the colt for Sam, but if the colt remained black Sam would have to pay and put 'The Black' as the first name choice on his papers.

Sam had accepted.

Nikki then paid out of her own pocket to have the colt color tested to see if he would express the gray gene or not. A few weeks later the results had come in.

This son of Playgun would remain black.

"Of course Nikki," Sam's voice dripped with sarcasm, "Smoothie seems ready for his round in the Derby Semi-Finals."

"Yep he is. Isn't that right my Smoothie," Nikki smooched to her sorrel mount, "you going to make mommy proud today and win us a place for tomorrows Finals."

Sam smiled at her friend, "Well Nikki, good luck out there. Wish I could watch you and Smoothie's turn but I got to get this bad boy cleaned up and back into his stall.

Nikki nodded and thanked Sam before leading Smoothie off to the warm up pen.

"Come on Lil' brother." Sam told The Black before leading the stallion towards his stall.

A welcoming neigh greeted the two when they arrived, The Black returned the call.

"Hey Ace."

Head hanging out of his stall door, the bay mustang tossed his perfect Arab-shaped head, his forelock flipped to show his white star.

"Hold on Ace. I got to get The Black cleaned up."

With Ace's accusing snorts sounding off behind them, Sam lead the black stallion to her and Nikki's extra stall that they use to store their horse's tack and feed.

Sam knelt down to unstrap the white sport boots from the stallions legs, after hanging the boots off the saddle stirrups she quickly unbuckled his breast collar, cinch and flank cinch and pulled the saddle off his sweaty back. Leaving the stallion ground-tied outside the stall door she carried her gear in and put it away to clean later, she then unbuckled her chaps and left them hanging in the stall along with her brown hat.

After replacing the stallion's headstall with a halter and placing the fleece cooler that she used for cooling down sweaty horses. She led him away to cool him out.

Once his breath returned to normal and his body temperature cooled off some Sam took him back inside the barn to wash him off. As soon as they turned the corner on their aisle, Sam looked up to see Gabriel, Trudy Allen's grandson, walking towards her with his bright boyish grin on his scruffy face the usual limp in his stride not as pronounced. It hadn't been for a couple of days now.

Sam didn't blame him either; Gabe had just won his first major winning paycheck only a few days ago aboard Sam's mare Cherry Red Boons in the Non-Pro division and had gotten Reserve Champion in the Limited Non- Pro division on his own horse Feel That Whiplash in this year's NCHA Summer Spectacular.

He was flying high right now.

"Want some help?" Gabe asked her when he was close enough. He ignored The Black's pinned ears and disgusted expression.

"If you want too you can get the washing supplies for me and we'll ice his legs after."

"Alright."

The trio paused long enough to put the dirty fleece cooler away in the stall and grab a fresh fleece cooler and the washing supplies before making their way to the wash area.

Sam cross tied the stallion and then turned on the hanging hose and started to hose off the horse's body. Gabe took a wash mitt and put some shampoo on it and gently worked on the stallion's left side starting on his neck and chest. Sam on the other side had just finished shampooing his thick black mane and was scrubbing him on the other side, the duo slowly working their way towards the horse's hind end.

The Black stretched out his body with a groan of pleasure, loving the message and warm water.

The pair worked on the stallion in silence, Sam was busy scrubbing his legs clean while Gabe finished shampooing his tail. He then started hosing off the horse starting on his mane and tail so Sam could condition them.

"You and The Black did great out there," Gabe said while he ran the water over the stallion's body careful to rinse off all traces of soap. "Many people think he's going to win the Derby especially with the scores he's been handing to the judges this past week. Heh, we just might be giving the next NCHA Triple Crown Champion a bubble bath here."

The Black curled his lip up in total agreement.

Sam laughed, "You might be right. We'll find out in the next hour or so. There are only a few horses left for their turn in the finals."

Gabe nodded, and started to rinse out the heavily conditioned mane and tail.

Last December, Sam and the crew had traveled to the Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas to compete in the NCHA Futurity, the first jewel of the crown. The Black a three year-old colt at the time had won the event.

Then three months ago in April, the crew had again traveled back to Fort Worth to try and capture the second jewel of the crown in the NCHA Superstakes. The Black had also won that, thus securing his place as the next Triple Crown Hopeful in the hearts and minds of the western performance horse world.

So when Sam and friends had arrived July 6th to settle into the Will Rogers Arena for a third time, they were meet with a giant fan base for The Black. Many people had come up to Sam to ask about breeding their mares to the stallion. The Black did not disappoint, when it was his turn in the 1st go round of the Open division of the Derby the stallion completely destroyed the playing field and none could match his score. Then three days later the stallion again won the 2nd go round of the Open, securing his place in the Open semi-finals that were set five days later.

Today during the Semi- Finals that started at ten o' clock in the morning The Black had again swept the judges and crowd off their feet with his performance. There was no doubt in anybody's mind that he would be going to the Finals tomorrow.

'Now we have Nicole Robenson and the stallion Just As Smooth Too.'

Sam had just finished scrapping out any excess water from the stallions black body when the announcer's voice came from the load speakers.

"Nikki's up." Gabe said as he braided the last few strands of the stallions freshly cleaned and conditioned mane into thick ropey tassels that hung along his muscular neck. Done wiping the stallion down Sam put the stallion's long braided tail into a tail bag and wove the bag through the hair to secure it in place.

"I hope they make it to the Finals tomorrow." Sam said, sounding worried for her friend.

"Even if they don't get a shot at the Finals, It'll be fine. That stallion has already put their ranch and there horses on the map especially with you in the saddle. He should command a decent stud fee for their ranch."

Sam nodded in agreement, "you're right. Smoothie is the best cutter they've ever bred. They plan on make him the foundation stallion in their breeding program. He's already bred most of their mares this season."

Nikki's stallion, Just As Smooth Too is a son of Smooth As A Cat, Equi-Stat's #1 NCHA leading junior sire for 2 consecutive years, and #2 leading NCHA Super Stakes sire, second only to his sire High Brow Cat. Plus with a Smart Little Lena daughter for a dam Smoothie had cutting royalty running through his veins.

Sam gave The Black's body one last onceover with the sweat scrapper before she putting the fresh fleece cooler on the stallion. She unclipped the cross-ties and replaced the wet nylon halter with the stallion's regular leather one.

"Here can you walk him out some before we ice his legs. It'll give me some time to clean up the stalls." Sam asked Gabe while she slipped the stud chain over The Black's nose for him.

"Sure. Be back in a few." Gabe said as he started to lead the reluctant stallion away. The Black tossed his head with distaste but grudgingly followed Gabe out of the wash rack and down the aisle way. With one final head toss that nearly took off the man's arm the stallion finally settled down and quietly walked with Gabe.

"Thanks Gabe."

Once Sam saw that the horse had calmed down for Gabe, she gathered up her washing supplies and went to clean up the horse stalls. As she pushed the wheel barrow out in the aisle way and towards Ace's stall first she saw Nikki and Smoothie headed towards her.

"Hey how'd you do Nikki?"

"Did pretty good actually I'm hoping Smoothie won us a slot in the Finals. We came pretty close to The Black's Semi- Final score so I'm pretty happy," Nikki explained with a smile as she untacked the sorrel stallion, "That Spots Hot filly from Oklahoma was right after me and she's the last horse before they tell us who advances to the Finals. So we'll know in a few minutes. Come on Smoothie lets go cool off."

Nikki led her horse away and Sam went into Ace's stall to clean. Ace nickered but stayed out of Sam's way while she picked up his stall. Sam placed the stall fork into the barrow ready to go on to the next stall but then Ace came up to her bobbing his head demanding attention.

"Ace how's my good boy." Sam planted a loud kiss on his moleskin soft nose, Ace's red halter thumping softly against his head as he bobbed it harder with glee. Sam took a few minutes more to love on him before she left him to go clean her other two stalls. Next she cleaned The Black's stall directly across from Ace's before she made her way to her last stall next to The Black's.

Sam's mare, Cherry Red Boons was quietly eating from her hay feeder when Sam entered and cleaned the stall. The mare lifted her sleazy covered head up long enough to look at her visitor before she lowered it to resume chewing.

Cherry Red Boons a six year-old NCHA champion by High Brow Cat and out of a Peptoboonsmal daughter was one of Sam's first major money earners in the NCHA business. The gentle red roan mare had a total of $457,683 in lifetime cutting earnings and is a respected working cow horse after having won $200,000 total in NRCHA approved events throughout the country. This mare had also carried Gabe to win this year's NCHA Summer Spectacular classic challenge in the Non-Pro division.

By the time Sam came back from dumping the manure away, Gabe had The Black tied in his stall by his hay feeder so that he could eat while he had the whirlpool boots on the stallion's front legs. The stallion's hard body gleamed with a bluish tint from the brushing Gabe had given him.

Noticing Sam's appearance the stallion lifted his head, alfalfa grass hanging from his mouth as he stretched his head as far as his lead rope would allow and fluttered his lips as he continued to chew, at her obviously telling her that he was sick and tired of Gabe and wanted Sam to come and rescue him.

"He's completely dry and he allowed me to put on the water-boots in front but not his rear," Gabe informed Sam as she went to put away the tools. "And I brushed him out for you but he won't hold still for me so I couldn't put his sleazy on him."

"Thank you so much Gabe."

Sam quickly set up the second set of whirlpool boots on the stallion's hind legs and then he lowered his head when Sam asked so that she could slip the sleazy hood over his head. When she had it fastened on she haltered him again while Gabe placed the horse's stable sheet over his back and fastened the buckles in place.

Sam went to stand by the stallion's head and Gabe leaned back against the horse's stall door and watched in silence as the horse quietly ate his hay; it would be another fifteen minutes before the boots could come off.

He looks and acts just like his mom it's scary except for his head it's defiantly his sires. Sam thought as she admired her black stallion's Arabian type head. Wonder what Jake would say about The Black or my dad. Probably tell me to either sell him because stallions are dangerous or geld him. Or something along those lines and not as nice either. Uh you need to stop thinking about this Sam. Ok clear my mind and go!

Sam let out a heavy world weary sigh.

Strong arms snaked around Sam's waist and a very male body pressed against from behind and a light weight settled on her shoulder. She turned her head and her warm brown eyes meet lively green.

"Whatchu thinkin' about." Gabe murmured to her.

"Home."

It was silent for another minute as they waited for the whirlpool boots to finish their treatment, both thinking of a small ranching town in northern Nevada.

"Grandma was going crazy on the phone when I told her about winning on Cherry and getting Reserve on Whiplash. She actually follows the cutting world now because of us now. Didn't think she did but then she went and suggested a few Derbys and Classics. Couldn't help but believe her."

Sam laughed at that thinking about old crazy driving Trudy. She wondered how she was doing and how she was managing her ranch these days.

"She's on her toes and can't wait to hear back on The Black's Semi-Finals results, though she told me that she didn't have a doubt in her mind that you'll make it to the Finals tomorrow."

"I don't even know if we made it in yet."

"I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night…a good, good night…" Gabe sang softly to her.

Sam couldn't help but laugh at him and elbowed him lightly in the ribs.

"But seriously Sammy everybody's thinking the same thing. The Black's score was very high. I think it got you in. Grandma likes to brag to people especially about The Black and Whiplash. Nobody's going to be safe from her tonight when I call her to give her the good news."

Sam couldn't help but think about the people who wouldn't be 'safe' from Trudy. Everyone probably knew about all her accomplishments since she left because of Trudy's efforts. She wondered what her old friends and family thought about her if they thought of her at all.

Wonder if he missed me? I've been thinking a lot about him a lot lately mostly because of The Black and his siblings, he probably just misses his horse.

Gabe gently turned her around to face him and pulled her firmly against him, Sam automatically reached up and wrapped her arms behind his neck and played with the hair on the back of his neck; her familiar action him shudder a little. She sighed thinking of another.

When Gabe was starting to lean his head down to hers, they were interrupted.

"No P.D.A. you two!" Nikki loudly scolded the couple from where she stood outside the stall door.

Sam rolled her eyes but nevertheless gently removed herself from Gabe's arms and moved away to check The Black's legs. Gabe frowned. The disappointment clearly visible on his face but did nothing to stop her.

"These should be done now. It has been twenty minutes." Sam told Gabe as she removed the stallion's boots from his hind legs and dumped the water into a bucket. Gabe nodded and did the same to the horse's front legs. Nikki handed Sam a clean dry towel so that she could towel dry the stallion's legs.

The Black gave a big dog like shake before he went back to eating.

"Well I better go and check on Whiplash, I think I need to give him more hay." Gabe politely informed the girls before slipping out of the stall, taking a set of the boots with him to put away and then went to go check his horse. Sam also followed with the other set and headed towards the tack room to clean her tack and getting the horse's grain ready for dinner. Nikki kept up right beside her. Sam mentally braced herself for her friends attack and once Gabe was out of range Nikki didn't disappoint.

"What the hell! Are you two messing around again? You know what you both are doing isn't healthy right? Sammy I love you like a sister but I hate what you're doing here with him. That's why I keep bitching to you about this girl. I just don't want to see you get hurt Sammy." Nikki gave her a half-hearted glare, watching as her friend started to wipe the gear she'd ridden in clean.

"Yeah I know," Sam replied. "Just can't seem to help myself I guess…"

"Maybe you should try and meet somebody else you know explore your options...or you could go back home and make up with Ja-"

"That part of my life is over Nikki. I haven't talked with him since I was eighteen; it's been five years since I last saw anybody from my hometown. Too much time has passed, whatever we had back then during the summers when he was not at college or working is ended the summer I left for college and we lost touch."

Sam roughly put away her now clean tack; she stalked over to the grain bin and rearranged her horse's buckets. Nikki had obviously struck a nerve. Nikki watched her silently fuming friend measure out the rations to her horse's dinner and fondly shook her head at her stubborn friend.

"You obviously aren't over it because you're being too defensive about it. Why can't you just admit that you still feel something for him Sammy?"

"I am over him Nikki. Just drop it ok," Sam growled at her friend. "I'm with Gabe now or at least for a little while. It's just how we work ok. We like our arrangement."

Sam was a senior in collage when she and Gabe reunited again for the first time since that late summer Gabe had stayed with his grandma for a week. He had nearly been killed almost a month prior in a car accident and had been severely injured and couldn't walk without the aid of crutches; one of his legs was being held together by a steel rod and he had lost feeling in his other, he also hadn't known if he would forever remain paralyzed either. But against all odds and with the help of his newly adopted mustang he named Firefly; Gabe overcame his handicap and had regained back the use of his legs, nowadays Gabe only walked with a slight limp and was only noticeable on really cool days.

Gabe had asked Sam out about three months after their reunion. Because she liked him she had accepted. Gabe was soon introduced to the world of cutting horse and had taken a great interest in it and with Sam's help he had started to show in the Amateur and Non-Pro classes in cutting. The two were going strong for about a year and then out of guilt Sam had decided to cut it off and just remain friends. Well about a month after and a couple of drinks later they had woken up in bed with each other again. This became a regular occurrence between them and before long they had an off/on relationship. There were even times were Gabe would seek her out on the 'off' days of their relationship too.

Finally Gabe had asked if she just wanted to keep the benefits of their relationship going since it didn't really affect their relationship outside the bedroom. Sam didn't have it in her to refuse him. Months went by and Sam feeling extremely guilty had admitted to Gabe that he reminded her of someone else back home and that he should stop coming to her. She hadn't really meant for this to go so far.

Gabe did listen to her for a while at least. Their friendship didn't change outside in public and for two months it was peaceful. But then Gabe sought her out one night and confessed that he really missed her and that if could just give him a chance he would try and help her get over her past lover. Sam had missed him too and that she wasn't sure what she felt for him and told him so but also warned him not to expect too much and that she was sorry in advance for any heartache she would cause him.

They've been like this for three years now.

"Alright Sammy you win but I'm just trying to help you out you know." Nikki whispered to Sam as she hugged her. Sam hugged her back and nodded.

"I know Nikki."

The three friends finally left the barn to go shower and clean up after feeding their horses for the night. They planned to eat at a local steak house Gabe knew about to celebrate a job well done. Sam and Nikki had made it to the Finals. Gabe told the girls that his grandma almost broke out into song when he had told her that they had advanced.

At dinner both girls were congratulated by many of the other riders and cheered by many fans who knew about them. A few people who had advanced to the Finals also came over to talk with them for a while.

Later the trio got ready for bed in Nikki's trailer's living quarters and after making plans to attend the NCHA Summer Spectacular Sale tomorrow with them Nikki bided the couple goodnight and promptly fell asleep on the couch's pull out bed.

Sam set the alarm for six o' clock before finally slipping into the other extra bed and she started to get comfortable before she felt a weight settle into the bed and a warm male body push itself onto her, gently pressing her down into the bed. She looked up to find Gabe's green eyes now dark with want before she could say anything, he leaned down and kissed her softly.

"We have to be quiet." Gabe whispered against her lips. Sam said nothing but allowed him to continue with his attentions and reached out to hold him closer, his heat settled over her and she sighed, content.

She tried not to think about the past and far different male body.

She just allowed herself to feel.

review for me. thanks! =D

-crimsonheart