UNDER MY SKIN

fifteen. biscuit

Sam took a breath, watching as the buckskin gelding grazed. He was beautiful, he looked just like Spirit. Which was her favorite movie growing up. That was the main reason she'd gotten the horse, she had saved up all her allowance for years, her rodeo winnings, and the money she had saved from working at a local diner in the off season, she was able to buy herself a horse at an auction when she was nineteen.

She saw the foal and fell in love, and she only named him Biscuit after they got him home and he stole a biscuit right off of her plate.

With him, were two other horses, a brown and white appaloosa mare named Sadie – she was sort of Kate's horse. And the other was a brown mare, she had a white spot on her head that looked something like a heart. Cupid, she had been named, was Cathy's horse.

Sam lifted herself up the fence and sat on the top rung, she hadn't been gone long, but it sure as hell felt like she had. She jumped down from the fence and whistled, all three horses looked up at the sound, then she whistled again, this time it was the whistle she had used to call Biscuit specifically.

He whinnied and like a shot, he made his way towards her at a gallop. He slowed as reached her and she smiled as she held her hand out, it had been a while. He sniffed her hand before he stepped forward and sniffed her pockets, making her laugh.

“I'm sorry, I don't have any sugar cubes.” She chuckled, petting his neck and brushing her fingers through his mane. “And I'm sorry I haven’t been takin’ care of you. But I'm better now, promise.” She kissed the side of his head before sliding her hand down his neck to his side.

She looked him over, making sure he was sound and he looked as healthy as ever. He hadn't gained much weight, his hooves had been clipped, and his mane and tail had been groomed.

“Mama's been taking good care of you,” she mumbled as guilt settled in her gut. “We'll have to do somethin’ nice for her.” She patted his side and he winnied, making her laugh before she wrapped her arms around his neck and he simply rested his head against her back, like he had done since he was a small foal.

“Maybe we can go for a trail ride,” she told the house, rubbing his neck, her smile wide.

In the pasture they kept the cows in, Cathy smiled as she watched Sam, she had elbow propped against the shovel she was using to spread the feed.

It had been a while since she last saw a smile that big in Sam's face, hell, it had been a while since Sam had been that close to a horse for that long.

And her smile only grew when Sam jumped, swinging her leg over the horse. It took a minute to pull herself up all the way, but once she was up on the horse a wide smile pulled at her lips.

“Mama!” Sam shouted like an excited little kid, her eyes wide and she looked like she had the very first time she rode a horse. Sam gathered some of Biscuit’s mane, then she clicked her tongue and squeezed her thighs and he started walking.

“Whoo!” Cathy cheered, waving her hat in the air, which made Sam laugh.

It was like riding a bike, it felt like she hadn't ever stopped riding. It was like her body remembered exactly what to do. Her feet feel in the right position, despite being bareback. Her hands groped as the horses main, and her back straightened, though she soon slouched onto her riding pasture. Then with the click of her tongue and the squeeze with her legs, Biscuit sped up a little into a trot, then a canter.

Sam maneuvered him out into the field, her hair flying on the wind, her feet hanging at the horse's sides. And once she got a little more comfortable, she kicked him up into a full gallop.

She felt like she was on top of the world.

As she neared the barn, the one Kate used and not the one where they kept the horses, Kate smiled up at her sister.

“Look at you!”

“Wanna go for a trail ride?”

“Uh, maybe later.” The younger girl nodded before her eyes drifted towards her barn. “Got something I wanna do.”

Sam nodded, a knowing smile on her lips, “need a hand?”

Kate chuckled, but nodded, “if you don't mind.”

“‘Course not.” Sam slid off the horse, smiling as she patted his neck, then she kissed his forehead. “I'll be back real soon, promise. And I'll bring sugar cubes.”

Kate smiled as she watched Sam hug the horse once more before she climbed the fence but Biscuit lingered close by. And when Kate opened the door, Sam by her side, the horse stuck his head through the window that was cut out just for him.

Everything was covered in plastic and layers of dust. And it looked like no one had even stepped foot in there in years. Which wasn't true, Sam had spent a lot of nights since the accident just sitting on the old couch she and Jeb had saved from getting thrown out all those years ago.

Kate swallowed hard as she looked around, and Sam squeezed her shoulder, getting an appreciative smile. Then with a breath, Kate started looking around, fighting out the rush of memories that made her chest ache.

Sam watched her for a moment before letting her own eyes drift around her old barn, a fond smile tugged at her lips. She could remember her and Addy dancing with their music a little too loud, which led to Kate yelling at them to turn it down. She remembered all the times Praveen had sat her down and shown her how to read a Doppler, and though she didn't understand the numbers, she was pretty good at it.

She remembered laughing with Jeb about one thing or another, she also remembered him showing her the ring he never got to give to Kate. He had asked for her blessing, he'd already gotten Cathy's, and she was beyond thrilled for him and her sister.

But that clearly hadn't gone as planned.

And she remembered Javi. It seemed like most of their relationship existed within those walls. Like when Kate had walked in on them when they decided to roll around in the hayloft, they were still mostly dressed but Kate made a big deal about it and made them promise not to have sex in her barn.

There was always the time Javi had strung up twinkle lights, laid out a soft blanket and even cooked her a few of his mom’s old recipes to make the most romantic of evenings.

A sad smile crossed her lips, it was all tainted now. Their relationship was never real, and despite it being her on the receiving end of those amazing dates, they were always meant for Kate.

Looking back, that was clear. Javi always tried to make their dates special, but it usually ended up being something to do with weather. At the time, Sam assumed it was because he liked weather and he wanted to share it with her.

She felt stupid for not realizing it sooner. For not realizing that Javi had wanted Kate and not her.

But Sam couldn't fault her sister for that, hell, she wasn't even sure Kate knew about Javi's feelings for her.

“How you doin’?” Cathy asked, making her way into the barn. Sam jumped a little, having been lost in thought as she started up the stairs to the hayloft.

“Just the way I left it,” Kate remarked, still looking around her old bookshelf.

“I’ve been wondering what you want me to do with all this stuff.”

“Oh, you can just throw it out.”

“You done?” She raised an eyebrow, “It’s funny. I keep seeing more and more tornadoes and floods and droughts and… the price and wheat and seed going up and up and up.” She took a sip of her water. “But I’m still here.”

Kate sighed a little, “I’m sorry, mom. I haven't been good about calling.”

“You call Sam,” Cathy stated, though it wasn't a dig. It was just a statement.

“Sam calls me, there's a difference.” Kate corrected, giving her sister a pointed look but a smile rested on her lips.

“Someone's got to,” the old girl shrugged, making her way down the stairs and across the barn towards Biscuit. “Isn't that right, boy?” She kissed his forehead again as she lightly scratched his chin.

Cathy smiled as she looked between the two, it hurt that Kate never called, she didn't care much for that now that both her girls were home. Then her phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket, “I’ve gotta get this.” She started towards the door, scoffing a little. “Throw it away. I’m still waiting for you to save the world.”

“Yeah, Katie. Get to it.” Sam mused, though most of her attention was in the horse as she rubbed his neck. “You're my best boy.” She mumbled to the horse, resting her forehead against his.

Kate smiled over at them, and Sam had never looked so happy. Her smile was wide, her cheeks a little red from the heat of the sun, and her hair a mess of wild waves.

Kate turned, smiling a little at the plastic tarp, well, what was under it. It was a little model town. There were roads and houses, and even a little Polly Pocket doll that Sam had slapped some cowboy boots on and put in the middle of the town.

She claimed she wanted to be a part of the project, also that it added a bit of flair. Kate thought she was crazy, but she never did move the toy.

After fixing a few things and getting it all set up, she hit the button and a tornado formed, knocking over houses and trees and that little Polly Pocket toy.

Sam watched from across the barn with a smile, but she turned when Kate turned towards her, “why is one of the houses missin’?”

“I don't know what you mean.” Sam mumbled, her attention on Biscuit.

“Your horse ate it, didn't he?”

“What? No. He nibbled it and when I tried to fix it I dropped it.” Sam told her and Kate laughed, shaking her head as she turned back to her tornado. “I got you back, bubby.” She whispered to the horse, not hearing the footsteps as someone else entered the barn.

Then they heard a bark. Sam turned her brows pinched as she looked from Buck then up at Tyler, then finally at what he held in his arms.

“Ty, what are doin’ here? And why do you have a dog?”

It was a small brown and white border collie.

“Well, I wanted to check in on you. Both of you,” he glanced over at Kate, momentarily distracted by the project in front of her.

“Wow, built your own tornado,” he raised an impressed eyebrow.

“Middle school science fair project,” Kate told him as she shut it off and the vortex disappeared.

“Yeah, baby, it's cool, but why do you got another dog?” Sam asked, regaining his attention.

“I didn't wanna come empty-handed, but I know you don't care much for flowers. A-and I remember you tellin' me about Winston. And when I saw him, I just... Buck likes him, too. It's stupid, isn't it?”

She was close to tears, “no, baby, he's perfect.” She carefully reached her hand out, letting the dog sniff her hand and when he licked her fingers she pulled him into her arms. “He got a name?'

“Not yet, figured you'd want to name him.” He told her, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck nervously.

She smiled up at him before stepping closer to him, “thank you, baby.” She leaned up and pressed a kiss to his lips. “But you didn't have to bring me anything.”

“I wanted to.” He told her, his voice low as his hand rested in her hips. “Especially after what he said to you, wanted to make you feel better.”

She giggled a little, “just need you for that.”

He grinned and leaned down, reconnecting their lips before Kate cleared her throat. The two pulled apart and Sam smiled up at him before looking down at the dog in her arms.

He was adorable and fluffy, and he seemed to like being held. He wasn't very big, maybe six months old at the most. Then Sam put him down and he ran over to Buck before climbing over him like he was a jungle gym, but the older dog didn't move.

“How’d you find us?” Kate asked

“After I told the others y'all were sisters, Dexter pieced it together. He remembered your names from the news a few years back. And that was before Sam got big in the rodeo, so he wasn't sure it was her until last night. I should've known though, you told me about that day, I…” he trailed off, hating that he hadn't pieced it together. He pulled Sam into his side, and she hummed, a soft smile on her lips but she bit back her remark about how slow he was. “Sorry about your friends.”

Kate only nodded, her shoulders tense as her eyes drifted to the two dogs, Buck looked annoyed as the puppy nipped at his ear but he stayed put.

“I’m fixing some food,” Cathy stated, making her way into the barn and breaking the tension. “Y’all okay eating outside?”

“Oh, I’m not gonna bother you, Ms. Carter.”

“He’s not staying,” Kate shook her head.

“He’s staying.”

Sam grinned, looking up at the cowboy, before she stretched up and kissed his cheek.

“And I told you before, call me Cathy. Kate, why don’t you go and set up the table.” She started for the door, but stopped when she saw the two dogs. “Who's dog is that?”

“Mine,” Sam grinned, knowing she was asking about the puppy and not Buck, she knew Buck. “Some girls get flowers, I get puppies.”

Cathy simply raised an eyebrow, but said nothing if it, “help your sister set the table.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She hummed, and once Cathy had left the barn Kate and Sam soon followed, Sam linking their arms.

“He got you a dog?” Kate kept her voice low.

Sam looked over her shoulder to see Tyler squatted down, he was rubbing Buck’s ear and the puppy’s belly. “I may have to marry that man.” She stated, and though it had been a joke when Tyler heard it, his cheeks flushed and the tips of his ears turned pink.

“Hear that boy?” He whispered to Buck. “I'm gonna marry that girl.” He kissed the dog’s forehead before standing up and making his way over to Biscuit to greet the horse. “What do you think about that, Biscuit?” He asked the horse, his voice still low.

“Think she'd say yes if I asked?” He rubbed the horse's neck, and the horse whinnied, making his smile grow. “Hope that means yes.”

“Ty!” Sam poked her head into the barn and he looked over at her, a smile on his lips. “You coming, baby?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, making his way towards her. “Buck,” he clicked his tongue and the dog followed and behind him, the puppy trotted after him.

Sam smiled up at him, wrapping her arms around him when he stopped in front of her, “I like havin’ you here.”

“I like bein’ here.” He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her lips. “So, you got a name for him?”

“He kinda looks like a bear, don't he?” She asked, looking down at the dog, and he did. He was fluffy like a bear and though his face was mostly white, the parts on him that were brown were the color of a grizzly bear.

“I could see it.” He nodded.

“Grizzly.” She hummed, then she stepped back and picked the puppy up. “What do you think? Huh? You like the name Grizzly?” She asked the puppy and he licked her cheek, making her smile.

“Think he likes it.” Tyler smiled at them, and he loved the sight before him. Sam's smile was wide as she cradled the puppy and kissed his nose.

“Sam!” Kate shouted and Sam looked over her shoulder to see her wave them over.

“Let's go eat.” She looked up at Tyler again, and she couldn't help it when her brows creased at the look on his face. “What?”

“Nothing,” he shook his head. “Better not keep ‘em waitin’.” He told her and she turned, he followed with his hand on the small over her back and Buck at his side.

NOVA SPEAKS

so, i'm trying to plan out the last chapter of this, which is a few years in the future... i have most of the relationships figured out but i'm having a hard time with kate...

originally, the plan for this book was way different, it was gonna be javi and kate endgame, but then as i was writing it javi a massive asshole so that is no longer the plan

so, i'm open to suggestions!!

also, so excited for my plan for boone, as well as the rest of the tornado wranglers <3

anyways, that's it, love y'all <3