#ackleholics

"Clowns, trains, horror movies," I started listing things off. "I like roller coasters, but I don't like heights."

He busted out laughing at that.

"I'm afraid of Black Mambas as well," I continued, working on the horse. "Also, I don't like walking around in the dark." I turned my eyes to him as he slowed down his laughter. "I always feel like the boogeyman is going to come out of nowhere and kill me."

He tossed his head, exhaling. "You probably haven't seen my show then. If all that scares you, you most likely wouldn't enjoy it."

I didn't think he'd be the one to bring up this, so I just looked up at him with stunned eyes.

He glanced over at me then, "What?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," I told him, realizing that I was staring at him. "I know your show." I added in a soft tone. "I've seen every episode actually."

"Really?" He wondered, shocked, but amused. "You've been normal with me, so I had taken it as you didn't know who I was."

I moved over to Hunter's other side and started to dry him again. "Well, to be honest, I knew you were famous, but I couldn't put my finger on where you were from." I stood up on my tippy-toes, so I could see him over the horse. "I didn't recognize you until you called out to me a little bit ago." I giggled, shaking my head. "Just replace my name with Sammy and I heard Dean yelling after me."

His eyebrow lifted and then he nodded, laughing. "That'd be because I used his voice then."

I smiled at him, "Guess Mr. Morgan is still a father figure to you."

"Why do you say that?"

I shrugged, leaning onto Hunter's body. "He came looking for you right before this," I patted the horse with an open palm, "Guy showed up without you."

He rolled his eyes, letting all the air in his lungs out. "I was laying on the ground when it started thundering." He told me, finally answering the question I asked when I found him. "So, when he spooked, I couldn't catch him."

I half smiled, happy that he didn't get thrown off or something. "Well, you had him worried about something when you got here today." I carried on, not wanting to get distracted. I dropped back, away from him and Hunter.

He just stood there for a minute, to see if I would ask. When I didn't, he informed me, "I guess you are right," He exhaled, "About him being a father figure. It's been so long since he first played my dad on-screen, I suppose I never stopped thinking of him that way." He chuckled, surprised by it. "I know he is worried, but I didn't think he'd tell you."

"Oh, he didn't," I corrected him, instantly. "He's a simply guy, so I find it easy to read him." I ran my hand along Hunter to test his coat. It was fairly dry, so I ducked under his neck and stopped in front of Jensen.

He licked his lips and then grabbed the two phones off the wall. He opened the gate for me and closed it after we left the stall.

I moved into the isle of the old barn and turned back to him. "I'm sorry, if I said too much." I whispered then. He had become closed off, like he put up a wall to block me out.

He was looking around when I said that, so he twisted to me. "No, you're fine. I just remembered why I'm here in the first place." He walked away from me and opened the door by the entrance. He shown both lights into it and saw it was a tack and feed room.

"I'm sure whatever happened, you didn't need all this to add onto it." I said in a low voice as he disappeared into the darkness.

He exhaled. ...That's for damn sure... He agreed in his head. He found an old bench and moved to it. "Hey, come hold the lights." He called a minute later.

I did and he locked his hands onto the bench. He yanked on it and it lifted into the air.

"Hmm, it seems pretty sturdy to me." He commented and then stood up with it.

I watched his bare biceps flex under the weight and I couldn't help the blush that crossed my face, neck and chest.

He adjusted it in his hands, then started out of the room. I followed, making sure I lit up the way for him. He went to the middle of the room and then sat it down. He straightened up and he pulled his white t-shirt off his skin; it'd been suction-cupped to his body this whole time.

I've had a hard time not just staring at him and his muscled body.

He turned to me and his head tilted to the side. He glanced me over, seeing that I was looking completely away. He stepped around the bench, taking a seat. "Jeff kind of told me that you used to show jump."

"Did he?" I asked with my eyebrows furrowed, spinning back to him.

"Well, actually I said that Tōshirō should be at a million-dollar stable, not here." He corrected himself. "He only said that I figured that out fast." A small smile contoured his face. "I don't think I've seen a horse as well trained as him. You are very talented."

I sighed, knowing my cheeks reddened. "Thank you! He is my life now!" I replied and looked over at my beautiful horse. He is nibbling on the gate lock; my guess trying to open it.

"I hope you don't mind this," He said then, leaning backward on the bench, "But are you taking a break or did you stop showing?"

I slowly made my way to sit next to him. "I don't know to be honest," I said, truthfully. I dropped down, landing on the bench. "I'm suspended from performing for the next year." I held out his phone to him, not looking at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," He responded in a comforting voice. He slowly took his phone, trying to let me know that he wasn't saying this about the phone.

"I was dating the owner of a million-dollar stable," I explained, wanting him to understand for some reason.

He was very surprised by my candor.

"We'd been keeping it on the down-low for a year." I said and then snorted, "Tsk." My face darkened as I continued, "He ended up being a judge for my last competition. Tōshirō cleared the course, but we were a few milliseconds behind the leader." I bit down on my bottom lip, turning back forward. "He shaved the seconds off so that I would win."

"Wow!" He hissed, shaking his head. "That's fucked up."

I nodded, still mad about it. "I went to him when I realized that my time had changed and he told me what he did." I growled, pissed off. I exhaled out, looking down at my lap. "I'm a little anal about my times. I carry a stop watch while I perform. If my time is different, I go to the board and figure out which one is right." I turned my head to the right, "He knew that. Ugh!" I rolled my eyes, standing up. "So, I went to the board and reported him."

He didn't say anything, he could see how upset I was about this.

"So, I'm suspended and he was banned from ever being a judge again. Plus, he lost a lot of his clients and boarders." I added, pulling my semi-dry hair over my shoulder and shook my head. "He's suing me now."

"What?" He exclaimed, dumbfounded. "How is he getting away with that?! It's clear that you weren't at fault."

"Since no one knew about our relationship, he's saying that he refused my advances and this was how I got back at him." I informed him, softly. "I am a newcomer and he's been a prominent name in the business for years." I shrugged, "They are looking into every competition I've ever been in to see if I or he had done this before."

"Damn that's fucked up." He told me and then continued, "Sounds to me, you're better off without him."

I nodded, knowing that was true. "Hmm."

"I saw your tack." He said a minute later, "That isn't cheap equipment. My guess you made a lot of money winning what you did."

"I did, but now that money is frozen until this crap blows over." I turned back to him. "That's why I'm here. No one would board Tōshirō and I don't own land to do it myself."

He sighed, "Well, you didn't cheat before what he did, right?"

"Of course not!" I snapped, offended.

His eyes saddened and he quickly closed them.

"I've gone over every one since I met that man!" I told him, firmly, not noticing his reaction. "All of my times match the video of my run."

"Then you have nothing to worry about." He reassured me and then breathed out, covering his eyes with his hand.

I saw this and felt his walls being put up again. "I didn't mean to snap at you! It's just I hate cheaters and it's hurting me that I'm being called one."

"My current mood has nothing to do with you, Tessa," He rectified, removing his hand. He licked his lips and then told me, "My wife confessed today that she's been cheating on me for six months."

My mouth dropped to the floor and I was at a loss for words. I've kept myself informed on his home life since I could remember. ...The two of them were every girls' dream. A fairytale love... My eyes narrowed at the fact that that woman could think she would find someone better than this man. ...Even though, I've just met him, he is everything I always pictured him as. He isn't one of those celebrities that you build up in your mind and then you meet them and find out that they are not anything like you had thought...

"I keep forgetting about it and when I asked you that and you replied the way you did," He said and then growled aloud, "Arr!" He fell forward onto his knee with his knuckles on his mouth, pressed into him. "I was reminded that the one person I thought would always answer the same way; isn't that person anymore." He closed his eyes and then shot up off the bench. "Fuck!" He exclaimed, moving away from me.

I was still at a loss for what to say to him and I couldn't help but think this wasn't the time to say anything anyways. So, I just stood there and watched him pace the barn.

After ten minutes, I couldn't stop myself anymore. "I'm sorry, but she is a fool!" I said, just loud enough that he would hear me.

He slowly looked over his shoulder at me.

I just stood there, knowing I was blushing and he could clearly see it this time.

He looked me over with his eyes and then faced me, "I've been gone for so long, she—"

"No!" I cut him off. "Do not take the blame for her actions!"

His eyebrow rose.

"She knew that you would be gone for months at a time when she married you!" I emphasized, mad. "She is an actress herself!! She understands the life! If she was lonely or feeling like you needed to give her more attention, she should have said so!!" My face softened from the scowl I had going. "You would have corrected your actions and given that to her!"

He kind of just stood there. ...How does this complete stranger know that I would do something like that?... He wondered, shocked to the core.

"And if she didn't know that, she never knew you at all!" I finished, firmly. I was so mad. ...She should have given him the chance to fix this! Not run to another man!!...

"Just how much do you know about me?" He asked before he could stop himself.

My whole body turned red and I had to look away from him. ...Damn, I've gone and said too much!... I bit down on my lip. "I'm sorry, I had no right to say my mind like that."

"That's true," He replied, walking back to the bench. "However, I would really like to know the answer to my question." He sat down and looked up at me, waiting.

I whined, locking my jaw. "It's not that important, right?" I asked then, "I overstepped and I'm sorry."

"Actually, it is important to me!" He countered in a low voice. "I've felt comfortable around you since I've met you. And if that is because you were somehow able to figure me out with all the lies on the internet. I want to know!"

I just stared into his eyes. "Am I wrong then?"

He shook his head.

"Then can't we just leave it at I researched you over the years?" I wondered, softly.

He actually let out a small chuckle. "I've met so many fans that have had this image of me throughout the years and all of them were wrong and disappointed when they met me."

"You're a simple guy!" I whispered, not knowing why I was saying this. "You want to keep it quick and to the point. You barely give more information then you need to."

The look on his face said it all. I was hitting the mark.

"You don't care about the fame or money that it's given you. You would be content just doing your job on your show and giving back to your fans." I crossed my arms around my chest, trying to tell myself to stop. "But have your life outside of the limelight."

He exhaled, softly.

"You are somewhat like Dean when it comes to your family and close ones. You'd protect them to the end, no matter what you had to do to accomplish that." My cheeks started to burn crimson. "You love with everything in you and once someone has earned that love, you will never give up on it or them!" I licked my lips, looking down at the dirt floor, now. "Do you need to hear anymore?" I breathed, beyond embarrassed.

He didn't answer for a while. ...That's scary, that she would get all that right... He thought, stunned. ...I would normally say this type of fan could be a stalker, but after the little bit of time I've spent with her, I know she's not!... He licked his upper lip. "No!"