lb_heartland | Fic: Asleep in the Rain 1/1

Asleep in the Rain
Word Count: 585
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Ty/Amy
Disclaimer: I'm never going to grow up. That means... I'm not legally responsible for anything, right?
Summary: The pony isn't the only one who can't sleep in the rain, though Ty has other reasons for his insomnia.
Author's Note: Once more following Inheritance of the Heart, because life goes on beyond marriage, it's just that particular story that ended. I could have written dozens of others if I had more time because they would have a lifetime of stories, and I'm just touching on a moment of their lives. Again. :)

Asleep in the Rain

"I guess I should have known you'd be out here."

Amy looked up from where she was massaging small circles into Clyde's neck, trying to keep the little pony calm and over at the person who'd spoken. She'd actually gotten dressed, layered in a thick coat and her good boots, but he was barefoot and still in his pajamas. She shrugged. "I couldn't sleep."

"You mean, you knew he couldn't sleep," Ty corrected as he came over to her, touching Clyde's nose gently. The pony whinnied and tried to get closer to him. Ty was the one doing the majority of the work with him, but the poor thing had been nearly dead when they found him, abandoned at an old ranch up near Ten Beeches. They brought him back to Heartland when he was strong enough, but he still had a long way to go to get better, and thunderstorms still terrified him.

"Okay, yes, I knew he wouldn't be able to sleep," she agreed. "So did you."

"You act like I'm being insensitive or something," Ty said with a frown. "I'm not. I gave him a long massage with the oils to help keep him calm. I added remedies to his feed. We can't keep spending every night out here with him."

"We don't," Amy protested. "It's only the nights when it rains that he has problems."

Ty sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair tiredly. "That's true, but it's been a very rainy year, Amy. Either he gets over this, or he doesn't. We can't babysit him every time. Remember, part of letting someone heal is allowing them to make the choice for themselves. You can't force a horse to come to you in a join up, but if you never drive him away, he can never make the choice to come to you. It's not easy to drive them away, especially the damaged ones. Sometimes, though, you just have to let them go. You have to let them make their own decisions."

Amy looked at him. "Why do I suddenly get the feeling we're not just talking about Clyde?"

"Probably because I've said the last part to you before," Ty answered with a slight shrug. He looked into the pony's eyes. "Hey, boy, you're not really that scared tonight, are you?"

Clyde whinnied again, giving Ty a sloppy kiss. Ty looked over at Amy. "See? He's fine. He loves all this attention he's getting, but he doesn't need it."

"You're being... Why are you like this?"

"Because we were up the last three nights, either with the foals or Venture, and I'm tired."

"You didn't have to come out here."

"I'm going to let you in on a secret, Amy," he began, pulling her into his arms. "People—and horses, I suppose—have sleep patterns. Routines. We fall into them, sometimes quickly, sometimes not. I know it didn't take long for me to adjust to sleeping next to my wife. Now I'm hooked. I can't sleep without you."

She smiled at him, stepping up to kiss his cheek. "Okay. I give. Let me just finish the T-touch I was doing, and we'll go back to bed."

Ty pointed to Clyde, whose eyes were drooping sleepily as he ate more from his feedbag. "I don't think he needs it."

Amy nodded. "Okay. Maybe you do, though. You're kind of grumpy."

Ty laughed.