Melody Time (R-M) [Horsegodess]

(sounds okay, but i dont want the other horses to die. how about he can only save the colt and sundar?)

(the colt will be born on her own property, but the others can live too.)

(okay.)
Leo awoke as usual at the same time as always, and got ready for a another day at work. He slid on his tight britches, a tight polo, and his boots. On the way out the door, Leo opened the fridge door and pulled out three sugar cubes for his three favorite horses. He walked out the door, with the sweet cubes clutched loosely in his fist. He got in his car and drove to the Ash Wood Stables. As he pulled up to the stables, with the gravel crunching under the heavy tires of the car, he slowed to a crawling pace as he gaped in awe at the furnace of flames swallowing the barns. He saw his fellow workers frantically sprinting into the barn to attempt to rescue the horses.

When the situation clicked in his head, he jumped out of the car and immediately ran to his boss, who was standing a safe distance from the barns. "what happened?" Leo said, hoping for a quick awnser. The boss responded with, "there was a pile of hay was stacked too high." Leo whirled around and ran into the barn thinking, what a beginners' mistake for such a prosperous and experienced barn. He swept these thoughts away as he ran into the blistering heat.

He could hear the shrieks and squeals from the horses trapped in the flames. He could hear the banging of the stall doors as horses pawed them in desperation. he heard people yelling orders, which horses to save and panicked voices. At this point there was no hope of saving the barn at all. As Leo charged into the collapsing doorway, he could see just what shape the barn was in. it was disastrous to say in the least. a burning piece of something singed his skin, but that was nothing compared to the damage he was going to do to his body in order to save these horses. Leo bounded over the flames, and through any non burning area he could. It was his first priority to evacuate the boarding horses and the broad mares. He painfully evacuated the last three boarding horses that his coworkers hadn't, and the last brood mare. Although it would be dangerous, he knew his next actions would give the horses a better chance to survive. Despite the heat, flames, and singed skin, hair and clothes, as he swiftly moved through the corridors of the stables, he un latched each stable door and left it wide open as he walked past them. He hoped that the horses wild instincts would tell them to flee the barn. Most of them did, others didn't. He could not hep them now. he needed to save Santiago, Sundar, and Ravi. He ran to Ravi's stable, the closest. Despite that his mane was half burned off, and he was absolutely panicked, it did not look that Ravi was in a critical state. Leo unlatched the door. Leo's fingers were black from the heat and charcoal of the barns. He grabbed Ravi's halter and ran. he avoided the flying hooves of Ravi rearing, and sprinted where he let go of his halter. Ravi Bolted away from the barn. Luckily the entire perimeter of the property was fenced, so all of the horses released could be recaptured. As leo sprinted into the fresh air, his watering eyes burned. His lunges were polluted with ash, and as he took a deep breath of the fresh air, he threw a coughing fit. Leo knew every second counted, so he ran back into the barns with the crook of his elbow attempting to shield his eyes. as he entered the scortching heat his eyes filled with water again and he could barely see a thing. But Leo instinctively knew where the stalls of his favorite horses were because he visits them on a daily basis. well, did. Leo reached Sundar's stall, Which was the second to last one, right next to Santiago's. he unlocked Sundar's stall door and, and the normally tranquil stallion reared up in fear. his eyes were full of fear and he snorted and whinnied loudly. Leo calmed him down by talking to him over the loud roar of the flames, shrieks of the animals, and yelling of humans. once Sundar was manageable, he opened Santiago's stall and bolted for the door among the crashing and collapsing barn. Leo's skin was loose and he had several sever burns. But he did not stop. each hand carrying his best friends, he ran to the door. To him it did not seem like he was getting any closer. finally leo reached the exit.

He let go of the horses, but just as he did this, the barn door frame collapsed on his extended leg. He fell to the ground as his leg burned, his skin melted, and the ash fell into the burn. He didn't let out a scream, but he blacked out for a few seconds. His body was too overwhelmed. when he awoke his body throbbed with screaming pain. A fellow worker saw him and pulled him out of the burning wood resting on his calf. As he did, the skin on his leg twisted and distorted into a harrowing image. luckily, When it fell, it was the wood that broke, not his leg, because the wood was so weak and reduced from being burned.

Leo awoke in the hospital. he looked up and saw the face of the doctor, and then it was replaced by another familiar face. "hi emma" he tried to rasp out, but he threw a coughing fit. he couldnt say anything. All he did was cough. at first his thoughts were very blurry, then his mind cleared up and he remembered everything. But he had so many questions. he grew very tired all of a sudden and wanted to fall back asleep, but he respected emma's presence and waited for her response. He also wondered why it was emma visiting him in his room. Then he remembered her personality and came to the conclusion that she argued her way in.

Time had flown by ever so fast since the breeding of her precious Melody and Sundar. Emma had done her best to make her mare as comfortable as possible over the past few months and to make sure the whole process of foaling would go smoothly. Maybe she was over doing it, but her attention was focused soulfully on Melody and on nothing else, including the bank and her home. All the while she was out in the stables taking care of her very pregnant mare, the bank continued to call and leave threats on her answering machine saying that if she did not come up with some money somewhere, the house would be taken.

Coming in from the barn and the snow, Emma kicked off her muddy boots by the back door and made her way into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. Time was growing thin and Melody was to pop any day now. With a disgruntled sigh, Emma poured sugar into her cup and then carried it onto the living room where she plopped down on the couch with Ruby. Cuddling up with a fuzzy blanket and her dog, Emma switched on the TV and stared glassy eyed at the screen that displayed images of the news. A flicker of flames and a familiar name caught her attention. Emma turned up the volume and listened, dropping her coffee and gasping in horror. "Leo!" she cried as she flew off the couch, neglecting her spilled drink and running to get her boots back on and rush to the hospital.

"Miss, you can't come here. Your not family." the doctor said.
"You don't understand!" Emma growled as she leaned over the counter and studied the doctor and nurse.
"Miss, there is nothing you can do but wait out here in the waiting lounge." the doctor continued, un-phased.
"Watch me!" she hissed and turned around, pretended to storm out. Being sneaky, she found another way around the hospital that led to Leo's room. Making sure the coast was clear, she slipped into his room and locked the door behind her.
"Hi, Leo.." she breathed, approaching his bed and taking in his upset state.

so many thoughts swirled through leo's muddled mind. He wanted to tell her the whole story, but was just too weary, tired, and couldn't even talk for more than a few words, otherwise he would throw a coughing fit. Out of all of the things Leo could have told emma, he chose the words that she would value the most. he took a slow raspy breath in, and said, "i managed to save Sundar". he coughed a couple times, but managed to keep control. He folded his arms next to his sides and pushed himself up into a sitting position. The hospital bed creaked under his shifting weight. He took raspy breaths as he waited for emma's reply.

All Emma could think about was the burning horses and Leo rushing to try and save them. He could died right along side them, thank god he didnt. She watched him intently as he struggled to hold back his coughing fits. "You saved Sundar?" she repeated, tears welling in her eyes. It made her happy to know that the father of her mare's child had survived, but it also brought sadness because the others had to die.

Leo nodded.

The doctor walked in, and dismissed emma from the hospital room. "he needs to rest." the doctor then shooed her out.

Other family members came in to see Leo. He greeted them all, fighting the heavy weight of sleep that was starting to weigh him down. once they were all gone, he fell inot a deep sleep.

(skip?)

Leo awoke. It had been about two weeks since the fire. His health had improved. They had done a bit of surgery on his leg. The muscles and nerves on his leg had been severly damaged, but he participated in rigourous physical therapy. They fixed up the skin, and Leo was almost ready to be released from the hospital. Despite his lack of hair in some patches, he had improved. Leo's voice was still a bit raspy, but it was hardly noticeable compared to how it was two weeks ago. His soothing smooth voice was almost back.

The doctor walked in with a clipboard in his hands. Leo stripped his clothes and the doctor performed a full body exam. He pressed leo's skin, stretched it, moved his leg around, and checked for any other issues that would require further treatment at the hospital. After the doctor had left, Leo put his hospital gown back on. The doctor returned with the news that Leo would be able to go home tomorrow. Leo did not have his phone, because he arrived at the hospital room as an emergency. As if reading his mind, the doctor said, "I will contact your family." He paused and then added mockingly "and that other woman too" The doctor left the room smiling.

bump

Two weeks after Emma had been shooed from the hospital room, she received a phone call from the doctor saying she was allowed to return again. After repeatedly trying to see him, she had given up after the doctor threatened to have her banned from the property during his stay. After long hours of wondering when he would recover and when she would be able to see him again, she had kept Melody pregnant during her pregnancy. She kept begging the mare to hold on a little longer and to keep that baby in until Sundar arrived.

Back in her truck, Emma drove to the hospital, slower this time, and moved ignorantly through the halls until she reach him room. "Hey there, sleepy head." she laughed as she shut the door behind her.

"hi Emma!" he greeted her, excited to see a familiar face again. The doctor stepped out of the room. Leo would have stood up to greet her, but he remained under the covers. He was a bit embarrassed about his gown now that he wasnt groggy from anesteisa. "What a fun surprise! I can come home tomorrow." He sat up in bed though. Now that his thoughts were more clear than the last time he saw her, he was able to talk with her. "How is Melody's pregnancy going?"

Emma smiled at him as she came closer to the bed, "Good to see your awake and aware." she said. Picking up a card on the bedside table, she flashed through it and set it back down. "Melody is doing great, any day now." she told him as she moved over to a chair and flopped down.

"that's exciting. I'll be taking Sundar and the other's home with me. Rashi had to be sold though. There wasn't enough room and he was having axsiety about the fire. It was a last minute sale." Leo added the last part, partially reminding himself, so that the thought would register in his once scrambled brain. He had received this information from his boss a couple of days ago. He was still getting used to the fact that Rashi would be gone. The horse that he had nursed back to health, the horse that trusted only him. Leo fell silent. After a moment or two of silence, Leo spoke up again. He cleared his throught and said, "luckily Sundar made it. Since his breeding days are gone with the barn destroyed, ill have him visit some time." A warm spring breeze blew through the open window and rearranged his short dark hair. The sunlight shown through the window, and Leo's fine tanned skin was displayed.

As Emma listened to him, a puzzled look came across her face. "If your barns have burned to ash..where the hell are they staying?" it confused her that he would say he would bring the stallion around when it had no place to live. She stood up a moment and paced his room, often stopping to glance out the open window and then over at the calendar on the wall. "Suppose Sundar and a few others could come live on my ranch. I could use the extra money for boarding if you were to lease them out..." the more she thought about this, the more excited she grew. Maybe she could finally save her farm!

"well i wa-" Leo was cut off by Emma excitedly thinking aloud. He let her finish and then said, "well i was planning on making room for them at my place, but sure. If they boarded at your stables they would be much happier." They would have much more room and he would be doing Emma a favor. After all, he did have the money for it. He was decently stable financially and never hesitates to help a friend...well, an aquantaince in this case. But Leo assumed that if he would do Emma a favor, that he could ask her for one. "hey Emma could you do me a favor tomorrow night? could you drive me home? As I havent seen my car since the fire. If not then thats okay, but it would be a real help." Leo politely asked her.

Emma smiled at him and finally sat down, ending her pacing. "Yeah, i can do that." she told him, picking at a string on her jeans.

"thank you." Leo laid on his bed in silence. He was hoping the doctor would come in to break the awkwardness, but there was no turning of the door knob. Leo sat there in silence, just looking at Emma. He started thinking about their relationship. It was quit an awkward one now that he was thinking about it. They met, her his client for her mare to be bred. Professional level. Then after the fire, Emma visited him, and he asked her to drive him home. Friend level. Leo want really sure how to treat her back. As a client still, or as a friend. I mean, they weren't really friends after all. Leo concluded that it would be the safest and most comfortable for him to remain treating her on a business level.

Emma sat in silence. She didnt mind the quietness, it was nice and peaceful, only the awkwardness of the air made it difficult to withstand. She fiddled with the string on her jeans and thought about Melody back home, hopefully not going into labor without her. She had to wait until Sundar made it there to keep her company and watch their offspring be born.

(i dont know what to post. is emma gonna leave his hospital room anytime soon or what?)

(you said he needed a ride)

(is it the next day already?)

(sure, we will just say she spent the night in his room)

(okay)

"there. i am finished." Leo said. He closed the bathroom door behind him and appeared in his own clothes again. not some hospital gown. Leo emerged in a bright red fitting polo shirt (leo likes polo shirts) and a pair of jeans. A cream colored rope-like belt hung down below his waist. His hair was combed, and now all Leo needed was to get out of this hospital. Leo, feeling particularly cheerful, held out his arm, elbow slightly bent, and offered to escort emma to the car. well, actually, it should be the other way around because Leo doesn't have his car and Emma is the one driving him hone. A white grin spread across his face. Leo felt as good as new. His health was back to normal, accept for applying burn cream to his skin every night. Leo lifted his unoccupied arm and ran his fingers through his black hair. He looked at Emma and hoped she would accept his offer.

Emma stood near the door of his hospital room and waited for him to get changed. When he came out, he looked fresh and clean, ready to tackle the world. She smiled at him and said, "Your looking good." she laughed lightly. She walked towards him and slipped her arm through his, accepting the invite. "Ready?" she asked and started to walk towards the door, heading for the hall that would lead them out of this hell hole.

"readier than ever" Leo said, still shining. Leo noticed that emma looked good too. on the walk out to the car, Leo looked Emma up and down and said, "you dont look to bad yourself." The afternoon sun was just starting to set to a lower point in the sky.

When they reached the car, linked in arms, Leo stopped Emma as she was looking in her purse to get the key. Leo looked emma straight in the eyes and gave her a soft short kiss on the lips. For that short moment in time, Leo's happiness seemed to radiate even more. He got warm inside. When Leo pulled away, his bright wide smile had turned to a bit embarrassed smirk, but all the same, Leo was just as happy. Even more happy. He hoped that this may have cleared up the confusion about where they were in their wavering relationship.

Emma noticed him looking her over and she blushed softly, turning her head so he couldn't see. "Thanks.." she mumbled as she smiled. She started to dug through her purse, searching for the key, when he pulled her aside and looked into her eyes. He then proceeded to lean forward and planted a kiss right on her lips. She was so shocked she forgot to close her eyes. Emma's breath caught in her lungs as she hand flew up to touch her lip. Butterflies fluttered around in her stomach and she felt all tingly everywhere. "Well.." she said with a smirk, blushing again and turning away from him. "Er..get in?" she said as she unlocked it and quickly slipped inside, smiling like a fool.