"When old doc Windsor slapped his butt the night he was born, and he just smiled. Bed sheets for a parachute, he jumped off that old barn roof. When old doc set his arm, he said I guess I was wrong thinking I could fly. He's been busted, bruised, and broken, brushed it off and kept on going, but not tonight... I know it must hurt like hell when a cowboy cries.

Got rolled in a holdin pen by a rank bull out in old Cheyenne. They say he broke five ribs-nearly lost his left eye.... He's been busted, bruised, and broken, brushed it off and kept on going, but not tonight... I know it must hurt like hell when a cowboy cries. And as a teardrop hit his whiskey glass, he said the only true love I'll ever have just walked out the door. She said she didn't love me anymore." ~Colby Yates~ When A Cowboy Cries~

A day before the wedding, Jackson and Misty were at each others' throats. Misty was upset that she couldn't give him a child of his own. Jackson was upset that she was upset, and frustrated because she wouldn't listen to a word that he said. "I don't care if you can't have any more children! We can adopt!"

"You won't be happy-"

"The hell I will! I'll be happy to have any child that calls you mama!" Jackson shoved his hand through his hair. "Dammit! I just want you! Autumn is a part of you and I want her too. I love both of you girls!"

"But you'll want more, Jack! You'll hate me because I can't have your babies." She sobbed. "I keep losing your babies." Jackson tried to pull her in, but she wiggled away. "I-I can't love you." Misty ran inside the house, leaving a heartbroken Jackson standing in the yard. He ran his hands through his hair and walked to the barn, hoping to sort things out in his heart.

He heard car doors slam and Misty's car start. He ran out to see her start driving down the road. Jackson chased after her; yelling for her to stop. He chased that car nearly a mile before he fell to his knees.

#

Misty looked in the rearview mirror with tears in her eyes. She saw Jack fall to his knees. He looked like someone had just ripped his heart out and stomped on it. She couldn't bear to see that man hate her when she couldn't have his child.

#

Jackson shuffled back into the house, just barely making it through the door. He couldn't force himself to move any farther. He fell face down onto the hard wood floor, his heart shattering painfully in his chest. Again, the woman he loved was leaving him.

Connie knelt beside him. "She told me to give this to you." She put the folded piece of paper in his numb hand. Jackson unfolded it. "Jackson, I borrowed $300 for a ticket home. I'll pay you back later." Jackson balled up his fist, the paper crunching and crinkling in his hand.

"Guess you guys better head on home. That's where she's goin'." His voice was hollow even to his own ears.

"Will you be okay, Hon?" Connie rubbed his back.

"I'll manage." Jackson closed his eyes to hide the pain. "Do you have that list of guests?"

"Yes. Would you like me to call everyone?"

"Yes ma'am." Jackson crawled to the kitchen and dug out his bottle of aged Jack Daniels. Connie felt a pang in her chest when she spotted the moisture in Jack's eyes. The tough as nails cowboy had been broken beyond repair. Her family had their things packed in just a few minutes.

"Take care of yourself Jackson. Maybe she'll change her mind." He lay on the couch, nursing the bottle of whiskey. He saluted them with his half empty bottle.

#

It had been nearly two weeks since Misty and her family had left the Circle S ranch. Jackson was going for the personal record of draining the bar of all of its liquor. He either went to town to drink, or he just picked up his booze order and went home to drown his sorrows.

Colten made it his personal mission to check on Jackson at least once everyday. The young Sheriff was worried about his best friend's physical and mental health. Jackson hadn't even shed a tear after Sandra left- but there were times Colten had gone to check on Jackson, and the man would be sitting in the corner of the room with tears leaking out of tightly shut eyes and rolling down his cheeks as he held Misty's engagement ring or one of Autumn's blankets. There was one day that Colten had found Jack curled up on the shower floor- in his under clothes thankfully- with the frigid water pouring down on him.

Colten pulled into Jackson's yard and climbed out of his truck. He took a deep breath before he entered the house. After searching a few minutes, Colten found Jack sprawled out on the floor next to his bed, a picture of him, Misty, and Autumn in one hand and a bottle of Jim Beam in the other. Colten sighed as he shook his head. He peeled the picture and the bottle from his friend's hands; setting the items on the night stand. Colten hooked his hands under Jackson's arms and tried to lift the unconscious man from the floor and onto the bed, but the man was dead weight.

Colten went to the bathroom and filled a glass with cold water. He went back to Jack and dumped the whole glass over his friend's head. Jackson, being as inebriated as he was, barely moved but he did crack an eye open even just a little. "For the love of God, Jackson! If you keep this up you're gonna die."

"I don't care-" Jack slurred.

"This isn't you, Jack. The Jack, I know would be chasing after her." Colten helped Jack onto the bed.

"She don't love me no more." He punched his pillow. "She took my daughter and my heart to the other side of this damn country."

"I know Jack. Go after her-"

"No! I chased her damn car for nearly a mile and not once did she tap the brakes."

"She was upset. Go after her."

#

Jack ventured out of the house for the first time in the nearly three weeks since Misty left, to do something other than getting more liquor. He was growly, grumpy and a force to be reckoned with. Everyone, except Colten, avoided him like the plague. Those who crossed him, usually walked away with a fat lip, a black eye, or busted nose.

Jackson saddled his gelding and rode out to one of the pastures. He stumbled out of the saddle when he reached the tree line. He had just finished relieving himself when he heard a low growl off to the side of him. His gelding shot off towards the house before he could grab the reigns.

#

Colten pulled into Jackson's place. There was a group of four of the hands standing around what looked to be Jack's horse. "What's goin' on?"

"Boss' horse showed up without him."

"Where'd he go?"

"Toward the tree line. But we ain't heard nothin' so we didn't know if he just got bucked or if he sent the horse back."

"David, come with me." Colt waved for the young ranch hand to follow him to the truck. "We need to go find dumbass."

When they finally found Jackson, he was wrestling with a large mountain lion. "Seriously?!" Colten shook his head as he grabbed his pistol to fire a shot in the air. The large cat shot off into the trees. Jack lay there panting, blood seeped through his shredded shirt. Colten stalked over to his friend. "Are you trying to die?!"

"I wasn't plannin' on it. At least not like that." Colten and David helped Jack to his feet and then into the pickup. Colten drove to the nearest hospital.

#

Colten sat across the room from Jackson as he got his wounds cleaned and stitched. Jackson looked absolutely pissed. "Would you quit pokin' me?!" Jackson tried to push the doctor's hands away. The doctor slapped Jackson's away from him.

"Dammit Jack! Stop!" Old Doc. Windsor, who had been the one to deliver Jack into the world, scolded Jack like a child. Jack pouted as he was put in his place.

Colten chuckled and left the room. He needed to make a phone call back East. Misty needed to know about Jackson because, just maybe, she would come to him.

"Hello?"

"Hey it's Colten Jacobs. Which brother is this?"

"Shaun. What do you want?"

"Is Misty there?"

"No. Why?"

"Jackson's in the Emergency Room. He got attacked by a mountain lion. He's hurt pretty bad."

"And?" Shaun sounded bored.

"I thought the woman should know her man is hurt."

"I'll pass on the message." Shaun hung up before Colten could say anything more.

#

"What was that about?" Misty held a basket of laundry on her hip.

"Nothin' Sis. Someone was just wondering if mom was here."

"Oh." She looked crest fallen as she sat on the couch to fold clothes. Jackson hadn't so much as tried to call her in the time that she'd been gone- granted she didn't exactly leave on good terms.

Misty sighed as she continued to fold clothes. What she wouldn't give to go back to Jackson James Silverman's arms.

#

Jackson lay on the gurney, I.V's and a blood transfusion were hooked up into each arm. Antibiotics were being pumped into a grumpy and hung over Jackson at record speeds. Colten chuckled at the sight Jackson made. "Just think, you'll be as good as new in a few hours."

"I just want to get drunk."

"No you don't. Jack, you need to sober up."

"I can do whatever the hell I want."

"What you need to do is fly to South Carolina and get your girls back."

"She doesn't want me."

"She doesn't want to disappoint you is all."

"We talked about the whole baby thing. I just want her."

"Maybe you need to make that trip."

"Colten-"

"Don't 'Colten' me. Jenny's worried sick about you, and poor Bart- you're the closest thing he has to a son. Jack go after her, she is the only hope for happiness you have."

Jackson grumbled and looked away from him.

#

Shaun kept his trap shut about Jackson being hurt. He wasn't good enough for Shaun's little sister. Every day, he thanked God that she left that man in the dust. Misty needed a man that wasn't go grumpy or acted like he was the only one that mattered. She needed a softer man, like Billy Joe Carpenter.

The girl was making a name for herself in town and the surrounding communities as a dress maker. She had started making dresses for the women in town, everything from wedding dresses to Sunday Service dresses. Her dresses were always elegant and sometimes complex. She had also started tailoring suits for the men.

The latest dress was a custom wedding dress with lots of ruching and intricate beading. The woman who ordered the dress was the states pageant queen. Miss South Carolina, a high school friend of Misty's, would be getting married in just two months. Even Kaylee could see that Misty was unhappy living back East, but Shaun knew that eventually Misty would get over Jackson and move on.

#

Misty stared out of the living room window with her arms wrapped around her stomach. It had been two months since she had left Jackson- and she felt horrible. She felt as if part of her was missing. She couldn't eat, and when she did, she couldn't keep it down to save her life. She couldn't sleep. Her body physically ached all over from the pain she felt in her heart.

She missed her man plain and simple. Sometimes, she'd lay awake at night dreaming of his touch, his kiss, his rumbling baritone voice and the way he soothed her fears. She missed hearing his sweet endearments. She missed his drawl. She felt like her heart was being squeezed or pulled from her chest every time she thought of him- which was always.

She and Autumn were struggling to adjust to the South Carolina air. The humidity and elevation were making both of them miserable. Autumn was constantly crying, and had broken out in a horrible diaper rash. Misty, herself, felt like crying.

*

I know- I know why did I do such a thing?! Thanks for reading!