"Ugh. Finally some peace and quiet." Renne sighed, contently, collapsing on the couch at Swayde's house later that night. Turning on her side, she wrapped her arm around the pillow her head was on as she watched Swayde walk into the living room from the kitchen. "I mean, I love my nieces and nephew, but after this morning, they were just so wound up. And we didn't even give them any ice cream, or desserts this time! It was like they hold in all their energy until them come over, and then go crazy." 

        Swayde chuckled, joining Renne on the couch. Lifting her legs, he took the seat, resting her calves on his thighs, keeping his hand on them. "You're right. Takin' them to the pool was a really smart idea. That certainly wiped them out. I think they will sleep all night, even Taylor. I just don't know how they can possibly have so much dadgum energy. It is crazy."

        Renne shook her head. "Oh, I agree. I know that I have always said that I want four kids, but now I am just not so sure I can handle that many. I don't know if it is because all of Mallory's kids are close in age, or if we are just getting old. Either way, man, I am just exhausted." Almost like that was the cue, Renne yawned, feeling ready for bed. 

          "Oh, you know you will make the best mom in the world, whether we have one kid, or twelve." Swayde said, his eyes focused on the television in the living room that was silently relaying the weather for tomorrow. When he realized that Renne didn't respond, he glanced over at her. "What?" He grinned, catching her staring. 

        "You just said when 'we' have kids." She pointed out, watching a blush rise to Swayde's cheeks as he broke eye contact. 

         "Well, you know what I meant." He inwardly grinned as he turned back to the television. Everything just always felt so comfortable when he was with Renne, that even the mention of the future of them together simply just felt right. 

         "Holy cow. You are blushing. I cannot believe it." Renne teased, biting her bottom lip, looking at her boyfriend.

         "Yeah, well I can make you blush, too, Reagan Renne." The pink on his cheeks was gone, replaced by a mischievous look in his eyes. 

         Renne shot back a look that was just as tauting, smirking as she said, "Prove it." 

        With that, Swayde leaned forward, wrapping his hands around her middle, his fingers attacking her stomach in a tickling fit, immediately making her break out in a burst of laughter. It was contagious, because Swayde couldn't help but began to laugh himself.

      Like usual, Renne's hands grabbed Swayde's as he continued to tickle her. Renne had tried to verbally call mercy, but her laughs made it hard for her to breath. 

       Leaning forward, Swayde quit terrorizing his girlfriend's waist with tickles, only to make her even shorter of breath as he closed his lips over hers in a kiss. After she kissed him back, Swayde, deepening the kiss, wrapped a hand low around her waist, pulling her up to him as he crawled on top of her partially. His free hand went to her leg that she had wrapped around his waist as her hands softly gripped his neck, keeping his face as close to hers as possible. 

       He had missed these moments. As he continued to kiss her, Swayde's mind couldn't help but trail back to when she wasn't here. When she had left him, moving to Montana to try starting a new life. When it happened, he had expected her to just be gone for a couple days, but that had quickly turned into weeks, which turned into months. Before he knew it, five entire years had passed by, each day seeming longer than the last. It was by far the hardest, longest, and loneliest years of Swayde's life. For a while, he had truly believed that he had fully lost Renne, and that he would never see her again, but just when all hope seemed lost, Mallory had tragically gotten diagnosed with cancer. As a result, Mamaw had called up Renne with the sad news, and within the next couple days, Renne was back in Alpine Ridge after her 5 year long hiatus. 

       Swayde could still clearly remember the day that he had seen her truck pulling down the driveway, headed back to Mamaw and Papaw's house. Just as he had assumed she would be, she had been short with him when they conversed, but rightfully so. It had been clear by her tone of voice that her heart was still hurting bad. No matter of years could ever heal the hurt that her and her family had caused her. 

        There had been numerous times after Renne had left that Swayde had tried contacting her. However, every time that he had dialed her number, he was always just shy of pressing the "talk" button. Every text that he typed out had been saved as a draft, and eventually deleted off his . The guilt had eventually consumed him. 

         Now, Swayde and Renne had been back in contact for a few months, since she had come back to Wyoming to be with her sister in her passing days. To this day, he still wondered if Renne would have eventually come back to Alpine Ridge on her own, if Mamaw hadn't called her, telling her of the sad news of her sister. Though he wished the circumstances of her arrival would have been better, Swayde was eternally grateful that she was back there with him, back in his arms, her lips back on his...

         Their time apart only made him appreciate the time that they spent together even more. As cliche as it sounded, it had only made him love her even more. 

         Renne pulled back from their make-out session, her lips tingling as she fought to catch her breath. After one more quick peck on the lips, Renne rested her forehead against Swayde's, glancing into his sparkling silver blue eyes before closing hers, taking in a deep breath. Her nostrils were filled with Swayde's manly, cowboy scent, just one thing that she loved about him. With a grin, she sunk down further in the couch, inviting Swayde to lay beside her. 

          The absence of Renne's lips on his drew Swayde out of his thoughts as he laid on his side beside Renne on the couch, the cushions giving his back padding.

          "I am really glad that the kids are all staying at Mamaw and Papaw's tonight. It gives us a chance to finally spend some alone time together." Renne admitted, drawing Swayde's hand over her. Their time alone was the perfect opportunity for Renne to tell Swayde about the trip to Montana that she had to make soon. 

         "I am glad as well. Work has definitely been keeping us both so busy. I love Doug and Mallory's kids, but at the same time, I enjoy this time with you a lot, as well." He was using his left hand to prop up his head as he laid on his side, facing Renne, who was laying on her back, staring up at the ceiling as she stroked a finger over his forearm. Swayde could tell that there was something bothering Renne. "Something on your mind, sweetheart?" 

        Renne took in a deep breath, prepared to spill the details of her trip. However, when she opened her mouth to talk, all that came out was, "Just tired." Looking to her right, she added, "Thanks for lettin' me stay here with you tonight." 

        "Of course, darlin'. You know that you are always welcome here. Do you want me to grab you a blanket or anything, or are you comfortable?" He didn't want to push the subject, even though he knew that Renne was holding back from telling him something; he knew it was better to just drop it. They were both exhausted, and the night had gone so well that all he wanted to do was lay here with her in his arms. 

                                                                            ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

         "Hey, Swayde. Are you still awake?" Renne asked sometime later from her spot in Swayde's arms on the couch. Turning her head slightly, she tried to see her boyfriend's face, but the living room was too dark. 

         "Mmm." Swayde responded. 

        "I wanted to talk to you about something." She knew now wasn't the time, but she had decided that she could not wait any longer; she had to tell him about Montana before she lost all gumption to do so. 

          "Mhm?" 

        "It's about Montana, and Healing Hearts..." Renne started, running a finger up and down Swayde's forearm that was wrapped comfortably around her middle. 

       "What about it?" Swayde formed a moderately coherent sentence. 

       With a sigh, Renne shifted so she was facing Swayde, giving him a hint that she wanted to have a serious conversation. "I need to go back there." Well, that wasn't how she had intended this conversation starting when she planned it out in her head. 

        At the mention, Swayde sat up, seeming only slightly more awake than before. "Why? When?" 

        "I need to tie up some loose ends there and get some stuff figured out. I left a bunch of personal stuff in my house there as well, so I plan to bring them home as well. As far as when, I'm not completely sure. That's why I wanted to talk to you, first." 

         Swayde let out a heavy breath. Clearly still half asleep, he replied, "Go do what you have to do for as long as you need. We will be fine." 

       He had spoken a concern that Renne didn't even want to mention. She knew that they would be okay, but there was that tiny voice in her head that was giving her doubts. It was that reason that she had waited so long to even talk to Swayde about all of this. Not sure what to expect, Swayde's response still surprised Renne. "O-okay." Was all she could muster as a response. At least the mention of the trip was off her shoulders. Tomorrow, however, she planned to further discuss it with Swayde, to just make sure that he really was okay with her leaving for a while, back to the place that had become such a huge part of her life. A place that held so many memories for her...including the not so great ones, involving a certain person who Renne had tried so hard to avoid.

                                                                      ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

          "Shh....quiet...she is still sleeping." A young voice said. 

         "Are you sure she isn't dead?" Another asked. 

         "Stop talking, or else you are goin' to wake her up." The first voice retorted, louder than before. 

           "You hush. You talk much louder than I do." The male voice countered.

          "Both of you, hush. Go in the kitchen so you don't wake up your aunt." A oh-so-familiar deep, drawled male voice whispered.

          Renne stirred on the couch, waking up as she heard the kids voices exiting the room. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes, squinting under the bright sunlight that was pouring in through the windows. Looking around her, Renne saw Swayde standing in front of her with Hope resting comfortably on his hip. With a weary smile, she greeted him. 

           "I am so sorry that MJ and Taylor woke you up. I tried to make sure they stayed out of the living room." Swayde apologized. 

          "It's okay. Wait, the kids are here? Geez, how long was I sleeping? What time is it?" She reached for her cell phone that was sitting on the coffee table. A blanket fell off her lap which wasn't there when her and Swayde had fallen asleep last night. She had reckoned that Swayde had covered her up sometime after he woke up. The sweet gesture made Renne smile even larger. "It's almost 9 in the morning? I can't believe you let me sleep that late." She stretched her arms high over her head, not meaning to complain about the extra sleep. In reality, she was thankful for Swayde allowing her to sleep in. 

          "You needed it, beautiful. You have had a long, tiring weekend." Swayde smiled, leaning forward, dropping a kiss on his girlfriend's lips. However, right before their lips could meet, little Hope, still resting on Swayde's hip, put her hand in between them, breaking apart the kiss. With a chuckle, the couple pulled apart. "Later." Swayde winked as he promised Renne. 

        Nodding, Renne stood up from the couch, following Swayde into the kitchen. Already, he had started a pot of coffee, which was the first thing that Renne went for. Pouring herself and Swayde a cup, she leaned against the counter, sipping her coffee, ignoring the chaos that ensued from MJ and Taylor arguing. 

          "Hope, where is your sister?" Renne asked her youngest niece who was standing in the kitchen with her aunt, sipping her cup of apple juice. 

          "Reading her book outside." Hope informed Renne. 

          "Could you go ask her if she wants to help Auntie cook breakfast, please, sweetheart?" Renne smiled down at Hope, watching as she ran outside to fetch her sister. Standing back up straight, she looked around the kitchen and saw Swayde telling MJ and Taylor to stop arguing, sending Taylor off somewhere in the house to do some chores for him, leaving Swayde and MJ. 

        A few minutes later, Hope and Susan returned to the kitchen. Setting her book down on the empty kitchen counter on the far side of the kitchen, Susan asked Renne how she could help with breakfast. "Well, what would you like for breakfast?" 

         "Mommy's french toast!" Hope suggested, not giving her sister a chance to respond.

          Renne set down her coffee on the counter behind her, the smile fading from her lips at the mention of her deceased sister. Glancing up, she felt eyes on her, and saw Swayde giving her a sympathetic look. Looking back to her nieces, Renne asked Susan if that sounded good to her, to which she nodded her head with a smile. 

        "Alrighty. French toast it is. Susan, can you please get me the milk and eggs from the fridge?" Renne turned, busing herself getting things ready to make the sweet breakfast. Grabbing all of the necessary ingredients, Renne inwardly chuckled as she realized two things. One, how comfortable she was in Swayde's kitchen, knowing where everything was, maybe even better than Swayde himself. Second, ever since Renne had moved back to Alpine Ridge, Swayde's fridge and cupboards were finally stocked full with food, instead of just the ingredients to make his infamous grilled cheese sandwiches. 

         Renne cracked several eggs, pouring the milk over them, then added the cinnamon and vanilla, measuring all the ingredients by eyeballing the amounts. Mallory and her had made it enough times to know just how much was the right amount. Finally, Renne reached for the sugar, adding only enough to add flavor, knowing that she didn't want to return the kids to Doug all hyped up.

       Coating the griddle with cooking spray, Renne heated the stove, stirring the french toast batter, soaking the pieces of bread in it before dropping them onto the griddle.

         "MJ, can you please take your sisters and have them help you set the dining room table?" Swayde asked kindly, now standing beside Renne in the kitchen. 

         Obliging, MJ, Susan, and Hope grabbed the various place settings, exiting the kitchen to walk to the dining room, leaving Swayde and Renne alone in the kitchen. 

         Wrapping his arm around Renne's thin waist, Swayde kissed the side of her head. "How about that kiss, now?" 

          "Now now, we wouldn't want breakfast to burn, would we?" She grinned, feeling a blush rising to her cheeks under Swayde's touch. "Speaking of that, can you please grab the sausage links from the fridge?" 

            "We have sausage?" Swayde asked with a chuckle, opening the fridge doors. 

           "Hey, Swayde, about last night...can we please talk?" Renne set down the tongs she was using to flip the bread to turn and look at her boyfriend. 

          "That tone of voice is never good." He gave her a concerned look as he stood in front of the fridge, packages sausages in his hand. "What about last night?"