I'd been out of it since the Doctor had been out to see me. Was it bad I still couldn’t remember the poor man’s name? Sad, but true. He didn't seem to mind, though. Plus, by the time he got here my face hurt so damn bad that each time I blinked I felt a tear roll down my cheeks. I still don't know what went wrong. I've handled guns before. Rifles, shotguns, handguns even…. I've never had one jump like that and crack me across the face. My PaPa would be rolling over in his grave at this. He had taught me better that.

As I replayed what happened my heart pounded a beat in my chest you could have danced to. When Phoebe's horse threw her my only reaction was to jump down, grab the rifle, aim and fire. The crack of the bullet was lessened by the crack my face made. I grimaced as I held my head.

The poor Doctor had no idea I was beating myself up over all of this. He kept talking to me, making me calm even when I didn't want to be. I guess he felt sorry for me. My cheekbone was not broken, from what the Doc could feel and see. But without an X-ray there was no way to say for sure. I refused to go have one. Not right now. I wasn't leaving until I knew my dog was all right.

The Doctor had given me a few different pills to take - pain meds, of course, something to calm my nerves and then something else but I can't remember what. I really hope Abigail and or Tate were paying attention to the what and dosages cause, I wasn’t. I was however, fighting off the effects of the pain pills and panicking over Tango, though not as much as I had been. I’d given up at one point and curled into Tate’s side, letting the warmth of his embrace lull me into closing my eyes and I dozed. I can't say I really slept. My mind wasn’t really able to shut down some. That was until Abbie needed him. I'd pushed him away so he'd go take care of his daughter, which left me to snuggle into the empty couch.

It felt like hours, maybe even days had passed, and yes, I know that’s an exaggeration - but waiting is not my thing. Add in the haze of medications I wasn't used to and it was an unreal mind trip. When Abe and Jon came back into the house from the barn saying Tango was okay, I’d rushed out here, albeit too fast. I was like a weeble wobble as I made my way across the yard. In my rush I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, which caused me to go ass over teakettle once I made it in the barn door. But, really, no one said to watch out for hay bales in this place.

I finally made it into where my poor pup was and hadn't moved from this spot next to Tango in the hay of this empty stall since Abe reminded me of what he'd said inside. Tango would be fine and back to normal in a few weeks. He just needed time to heal. And to rest. Pup was on bed rest, Doctor’s orders.

Abe and Tate had come back out here a few hours ago to check on Tango and myself. I had questions now that the fog of medication was gone and Abe had to once again explain everything that happened to me.

When the reality of what happened actually sank in, my heart stopped a few times. Abe explained in full detail as to what he'd had to do to get Tango - or as he jokingly called him, Humpty Dumpty - back together. There was need to suture - stitch up - six lacerations - which is Doctor speak for deep cuts - on his back, left side and left flank. A couple of the lacerations went to the bone but were clean cuts. The muscle would heal nicely without any trouble. There was no debris in the cuts either, but he had cleaned them and put in a couple of drainage tubes to allow for better healing.

There was also an issue with one of his back legs and now, Tango’s left hind leg was in a cast. There was a clean break across the top part of his leg which should heal just fine thanks to the small rod that was now a permanent part of him. He had a few stitches on his muzzle, a couple by his left ear and above his right eye. The Bear's claws missed all vital parts and organs. Thank God, but my poor pup was going to be out of it for a while. My heart was breaking. I was too busy worrying about stopping the bear that I missed my poor dog risking his life to give me that extra second I needed to get off more shots.

The sounds of the hay rustling around me pulled me from my doze and I looked up to see Tate and Phoebe standing in the door of the stall. I yawned and scrubbed my hand across my face forgetting I was bruised. I yelped as an extreme pain shot through me. The tears started and before I knew what was going on Tate had me pulled into his lap.

“Damn, Georgie, that wasn't very smart. Shit. Here, baby, take these,” he said. His words were filled with worry and pain of their own. I took the pills he offered me and handed him back the bottle of water he'd put in my hand. He refused the water so I drank until it was empty.

I don't know how long we sat there with me draped across Tate's lap and Phoebe curled into the wall, one hand resting on Tango’s paw. When I opened my eyes again it was light out. I shifted and curled into the warmth of Tate's body and looked over at Tango. He thumped his tail on the hay and I moved to lay in front of him. His tongue snaked out to lick my face as he whined. I kept my voice low as I tried to soothe him. I figured Abe would be out soon to give him more pain meds too.

“Hey, buddy. I should kick your butt. You know that?” I wiped a tear away and sighed. “What were you thinking, taking on a crazy bear like that? What if I lost you? I couldn't take it.” He just thumped his tail and licked my nose. “You big dummy. I love you. Don't you do that again. You hear me, mister?”

I heard the straw behind me crunch and looked up to see Tate scrubbing both of his hands over his face. He blinked and rubbed his neck.

“I'm sorry,” I said looking over at Phoebe, who was starting to stir.

“Is Tango okay?” She asked through a big yawn. She rolled her neck as she pushed out a hand to sit up.

“He’s stable,” Tate said through a yawn.

“You guys should have slept inside last night. I’m sorry… so.. sorry...” I frowned, feeling bad for their discomfort. Hating the way I was feeling right now. Hating that my dog, the last piece of my PaPa I had, was almost taken from me. I hung my head closer to Tango’s muzzle and let the tears fall again. So much had happened in the last six months. Or was it seven now? Shit, I had lost track of time. Was that a good sign or not? My mind was a whirlwind of confusion, anger and sadness. I felt hands move to my shoulders and that opened a floodgate of tears unlike the ones from last night. I heard Tango whine, Phoebe whispering frantically for Tate to do something and the pain in his words as he tried to soothe me.

“Come on, Darlin’, it’s okay. Please don’t cry baby.”

“I’ll go get Mama.” I heard Phoebe’s words as Tate pulled me closer to him. His warmth wrapped around me. He was my rock now. I hadn’t known him long, but this man, this man meant so much to me… but I wasn’t enough. I wasn’t even whole anymore. I was lost. There was no soothing me. I was broken, unlike before. I couldn’t run from this pain. I couldn’t abandon the feelings I had put a bubble around to hold them closer to my heart. The few memories I had of my father floated through my mind. The memories of my PaPa as he taught me to ride my bike for the first time. Our visits to the cemetery to place flowers on my parents gravestone.

“Take her inside. Get her a hot shower and some meds for pain. You all look like hell. Really, Nathaniel, what were you thinking sleeping out here? She should have been in a bed. She’s hurt and scared. Sleeping in the barn didn’t help a thing.”

“Ma, she wanted to be with Tango. I wasn’t telling her no. And I wasn’t leaving her to deal with this alone,” he snapped.

I heard the tinge of anger in their voices and shook my head. Wincing when my hair brushed my cheek. Yes, it was that sore. The pain sort of brought me back. I sat up from his chest and looked around. Everyone was there. Solemn faces, glares from Abigail. I patted Tate’s arm and wiggled so he’d put me down. When I was on my feet I bit back another sob and swallowed hard.

“Don’t. Just don’t.” I took in a deeper breath and closed my eyes before I spoke again. “I was not leaving Tango. Period.” My voice cracked and I had to fight hard to not break down again. “I’m sorry we’ve been such a pain. We can take him back to the cabin, I can take care of him on my own.”

I brushed past them and out of the barn. I needed air. I could do this. Tango was going to be fine. Abe said so. I had to stop feeling sorry for myself and what I lost. I wasn’t the only person here. Everyone has lost someone they love. I had taken the life of an innocent animal and now that was something I had to live with as well. I’d never been so torn and out of sorts. There was a low grumble coming from the small building behind the barn so I moved to investigate. It was a good distraction. One I needed. I peeked in the small diamond window on the door and saw the bear cub pawing at the hay around it. He or she was just a little bigger than Abbie from what I could see. The cries it was letting out broke my heart. I’d taken it’s Mama from it.

I pulled the slide latch and pulled the door open. The cub stared at me and grumbled again. I moved in slowly and sat on the floor by the door. I waited until the cub came over to investigate me before I ran my hand through it’s fur. It was soft but coarse in spots. The small paws had some killer claws but I wasn’t scared of it. For now, at least. The coat was a shiny black, minus the spots where dirt was covering it. I smiled as I watched the cub investigate me. It’s nose nudged at my cast and I laughed softly.

“That smells weird to ya, huh? It’s a pain in the butt to deal with. You will have lots of new adventures coming up soon. You lost your mama, I’m sorry for that. I know what it’s like to grow up without a mama. My mama decided she didn’t want to live anymore. She left me for a bottle of pills and a bottle of gin. My PaPa always said she was a strong woman, but the devil inside her was just stronger.”

I sniffled as the bear climbed up and nose my chin. I shifted my head to keep the sore side of my face from its reach. “You know, I barely remember my daddy. He went out one day and never came home. When I was seven a man came to the door. He was a cop, and he told PaPa that daddy’s body had been found. He was gone too. I didn’t cry, I didn’t know him enough to cry.”

Hearing a scuffle behind me I turned to see we had an audience. They had apparently followed me from the barn and I was so lost in my own sorrow that I didn’t even notice. I closed my eyes and turned away from them. Jesus, now they would know just how broken I was. I put the cub back in the hay and stood up. As I shut the door and latched the lock Tate pulled me to him and scooped me up. I had no idea what he was doing, but I let him carry me off. I hid my face in his chest and with a sigh I trusted that he was not going to leave me like everyone else seemed to.