Curveball. Batter Up. [irs/wcs]

[Cavallo]

If someone had told her a year ago that she would be fining the absolute dreamiest man of her dreams and run away and elope with him, she would have literally laughed in their face. She was more grounded, more practical than that. While she knew the female condition meant she was sometimes overcome every once in a while by emotions, even her present situation would have her emotional side present her a gawking stare as she admired the simple band glinting on her left hand. It wasn't big or flashy, she was after all a practical woman married to a practical man. Holy crap. I'm married. The thought settled upon her heavily and was quickly becoming a reality as she turned her hand on the door to her on-site apartment. She was glistening with a light sheen...Her mind flashing back over the past few hours...

She'd been a ball of nerves since she'd kissed Mal in parting at Witch Creek and had hopped into her truck and driven herself back to Intrepid. As soon as she'd parked she'd quickly ran to the barn, grabbed Fin and taken the colt out for a hard gallop on the cross country trail. He was blowing hard from the exercise when she'd returned to the tracks for a cooling jaunt. Her nervous energy translating into the colt's agitated strides. It had helped to take the edge off of the foreboding storm she felt approaching , but she suddenly stilled as her eyes had settled on the stilled dark form. Her heart had squeezed with anticipation and relief. She should have known he wouldn't have let her do this all on her own. They were literally a team now and she had to admit, she was going to have to make some adjustments to allow for Mal's protective nature - but she wouldn't change that about him for anything. He made her feel safe, secure...wanted. And he was hers. Hers eyes latched onto the silver wedding band gracing his left hand as he leaned on the rail watching her and she felt a possessive flair rush through, her blue eyes darkening with want, desire and possession. Mine. And suddenly she felt she had the courage to do what she knew needed to be done.

She stopped the colt and dismounted with a fluid motion that came with the ease of practice and repetition. She nuzzled the black colt's neck. Hiding her face in his mane as the juvenile stood staidly, but tossed his head in mild temperament, eyes locking on the dark stranger on the rail. The colt's nare's flared, but there was a familiarity about the man that lingered on his rider and so he dismissed the man with another toss of his head. The jangling reins causing Adele to step back and lock eyes with Mal. She walked over with Fin trailing in her wake. "Hi." She stated simply with a heated glance and a shy smile. There was literally nothing about her that was hidden from this man and that knowledge gave her nothing to hide behind and made her feel vulnerable. He could hurt her if he wanted to and yet as she drank in the sight of him all she felt was his quiet confidence and concern, for her. His presence meant that. She wasn't alone in this. "Sorry it's taking me so long. Fin here needed a run and I...I just needed to run." She knew she couldn't run away from what she was about to do. Mal was not a man to share what was his and she was not about to be separated from him. So that left two options. Move in with him to Witch Creek or he to Intrepid and they both knew the latter was not a pleasant idea. She shook her head with a rueful smile as she remembered the pissing contest both men had the night of Lawless' birth. Ever since then, they had be cordial to one another and very polite, but not friendly. Nick was like the father she should have had, supporting her and her dreams, when her real family had turned their back on her and if she was being honest, to some degree she felt she was doing just that to Nick - turning her back on him. It was a foolish thought, she knew that. She would still have her job, but the relationship now had been forever altered. She didn't go to Nick with her problems or for advice and as she gazed into a pair of cobalt blue eyes, she knew where her heart laid and she had to follow it - forsaking all others.

"Would you mind?" She jingled the leather reins in front of him as she moved through the gap and over to his side of the fence as Fin followed confidently in her wake. He played up only from the adrenaline coursing through his veins from the two mile hack. She extended the reins to his hand and relinquished control of the black colt to Mal. "I'll be quick." And she'd turned on her heel before he could speak. His presence had been just the courage she'd needed to follow through and hey...maybe luck would be on her side and she wouldn't even bump into anyone... She saw Mal's truck parked next to hers. It wouldn't raise any eyebrows. His truck was often spotted outside of her apartment just like hers had been at his when they were dating and as far as anyone knew...that's what they were still doing...dating. Her smile quirked up in a secret as she came back to the present, her hand hovering over the door knob and she pushed in.

She had never been a materialistic kind of girl, much to her mother's chagrin and as she grabbed everything in site and stuffed them into bags, she found her flow of grabbing, packing and flinging into her truck bed. With only her clothes remaining, she grabbed them off the hangers and out of the drawers stuffing them without any particular care into the last few bags. She surveyed the now empty room with mixed emotions. Satisfaction and a twinge of sadness coursed through her as she silently said a farewell to the apartment that had been her home now for over three years. She felt like she needed to pinch herself. This felt surreal, an outer body experience, but she knew that she was making the big steps to a new life and it wasn't going to be alone in this apartment. Squaring her shoulders, she grabbed her bags and turned out the door and ran into a solid wall of muscles. Firm hands grasped her shoulders, steadying her as she quickly tried to collect her wits. She looked up to a strong face and blue eyes and cursed. "Shit." Nick arched an eyebrow at the reaction and looked down to see the bags in her hand. He quickly surveyed the apartment and noticed the sparseness of it all. Her stuff was not here. A look behind him to the open door, revealed a truck filled with her belongings and next to it another truck that he grudgingly recognized, but things weren't adding up.

"Going somewhere?" His tone was neutral, but curious asking the explanation for the current state of her truck and apartment and followed the weight of her arms down to the bags full of clothes. She inhaled deeply, suddenly wishing that she hadn't left Mal down the path by the track with Fin, but wishing would accomplish nothing. She was here. Now. On her own. She squared her shoulders, chin jutting forward with her strong will. There was no turning back anyways. So much for not meeting anyone.. "Hey Nick," Her tones was causal as if she were simply going for a stroll, "Yeah I'm just collecting my things. I'm moving in with Mal." Honesty was always the best policy and she wasn't about to start changing her habits now. An array of emotions scrolled across Nick's face, surprise, hurt, bewilderment, frustration and a twinge of anger. Well. He has no reason to be upset. He's not my real father...I'm a grown-ass woman.... she sulked mentally, her eyes daring him to challenge her decision.

"Is this a joke?" He asked in bewilderment. Something wasn't adding up. He knew Adele and Mal were a thing and he was ambivalent about it, as long as the woman he'd come to care for as a sister was well taken care of, but moving in with him?? That was a whole different ball-game.

[Ripley]

Intrepid Racing Stable was not Mal's favorite spot to be. Not only were they an arch-rival, they were also owned by Nick Landing. Nick Landing was Mal's biggest pain in the ass or Adele's. She saw him more after all. Mal hadn't wanted to come to Intrepid today, but he'd talked Ripley into giving him some personal time so that Adele could pack. He didn't know why she hadn't ask him to move in here, but he could take a guess or two. After all, when the landlord couldn't decide if he hated your guts or not, it created an odd situation.

Mal's cobalt blue eyes swept down the track, locking on the moving form of Ultimate Revenge and his new wife. She looked perfect on a horse. Very natural, elegant and just as well bred as the thoroughbred she rode. He still was baffled how he ended up with a girl like Adele. She was so in a different league with the high class family who frowned on her actually choosing a career. He'd always scrabbled from job to job, working his way up the ladder from a pretty pathetic position. He was living in cushy digs now thanks to a good friend's heart.

The man smiled as the colt jogged up to the railing, breath pluming out of his nostrils. He looked like a dragon, Mal thought. He was fierce looking with dangerous eyes and tough muscles. He'd grown a lot since he was a yearling. Now just on the edge of his three year old season, Fin was starting to act on the promise he'd always showed. Mal shook his head. This was the danger of associating with the enemy. You started to like their horses nearly as much as your own. Sun King, Saintly Touch, Vagabond and Casualty of War were definitely tough competition for the colt. He certainly wouldn't put horses he'd trained above this one.

"Hey, Mrs. Floyd," Mal choked out. Her blue eyes still cast spells over him even after a year of knowing her. "Hard to believe we're back to real life, huh?" His gaze followed her as she crossed through the gap leading her intimidating colt. "A run is nothing compared to what I've been doing this morning. Try getting Roussong and Kismet to stand still for the farrier and then go out for a run aboard Lady Timeah."

He sensed a bundle of nerves in Adele. She was playing around with something and it made him want to just keep talking. He'd made it harder for her to leave him with marriage, but females worried him. They thought too many thoughts and didn't she any of them. He would know, he worked with five prickly, dominating women. When Adele slapped the leather reins into his hands and vanished, he pushed it off to the "I'll-share-with-you-later" category. He grinned into Fin's confused face. The colt snorted at the end of the line, ears pricked and eyes wary. He knew Mal, but Mal wasn't on the same level as Adele by any means.

The colt shifted from hoof to hoof, whinnying in agitation after Adele. Mal followed the colt's gaze again and felt his muscles tense up. "Shit." Nick Landing, Big Brother himself, marched right into Adele's room without even knocking. Mal patted Fin's neck. "Better me than you, buddy."

Mal winced when Nick spoke up, voice carrying from the apartments. What he said did more than enough to shave Mal's ego down a size or two.

[Cavallo]

Adele was a genuinely pleasant and happy person and no one would argue that she wasn't, but the scowl of fury that descended upon her features was one of defiant wrath and fury. Is this a joke? BLOODY HELL NO. She'd wanted to scream into his face, but she literally bit her tongue. She took a deep calming breath and resolutely picked up her bags once again brushing by Nick as if he weren't even there. Nick was not to be ignored as he followed on her trail, intent on getting to the bottom of things. Something was off and he could read Addie like a book - she was hiding something. She flung her bags of clothes into the back of her truck cab and stormed off back to the track where Mal was waiting with Fin. Her cold glance of pent up fury was sharp enough to cut glass as she simply held her hand out to Mal, requesting the reins with a simple "thank you".

Nick's eyes bored into the man. He was only a year older than Mal and it did something to him to see this bloke with the little sister he'd helped establish and what thanks was he getting for this - a hi and bye treatment. Like Hell. Maybe he was forcing her to move in? Crap. Was she pregnant too? There was something about women getting pregnant around the same time, maybe she needed his help! But then why move in with Mal and not talk to him. They used to be able to talk about everything, but now she was like a stranger, distant and unknown. He stopped walking and watched as Adele took Fin away from the trainer, his gaze daring Mal to speak out of turn so he could slug him. Two could play this "protective" game. He stood directly in Adele's path back to the barn, an immovable force as he studied her closely. Yes. There was something different all right and he noticed it just as Adele pushed a frustrated hand through her hair and fixed a glare on him.

He felt his stomach drop right through to the floor. This was all just a big joke right? Was today April 1st? He inhaled sharply and ran an aggravated hand through his shades of blond hair. "Adele Rodgers. You need to tell me right now what the frick is going on. I know I have no say in your personal life, but I would think that you would feel free to talk to me and I think you at least owe me an explanation as your boss for this sudden... change."

He'd seen the ring. She'd known he'd had the moment he'd inhaled sharply. Fin danced on his feet, feeling the anxious attitudes in the air as he played up in kind. Adele straightened the colt out quickly, grateful for the momentary distraction. Nick wasn't going to make this easy on her, so why should she go easy on him? Annoyed, sweaty and hot, all she wanted was for Nick to just be happy for her, but she knew that was not the reaction she was about to get and that probably hurt more than anything. "Nick. You and your family are dear to me. I love them and I love everything that you've done for me, but I have reached a new season in my life. A season that I couldn't be more excited about and I want you to be happy for me too. Nick. I love Mal. He's everything to me and, not that I owe you ANY kind of explanation, but Mal and I reached a new point in our relationship where it was either shit or get off the pot and neither one of us was willing to bail. He loves me. Protects me. Makes me laugh and above all believes in me, my dream and ambitions and I want to do all of that in return for him. As his wife. So this long weekend that you gave me, Mal and I went to the courthouse and legally were married and I AM moving in with my HUSBAND." She enunciated the last phrase with daring clarity, as if to push Nick to try and defy her.

All he could simply do was stare. Married? It seemed like such an inconceivable idea. He shook his head slowly, the gravity of her words slowly beginning to resonate with truth within him. He looked above Adele's head to the source of his welling frustration and anger. Why go behind his back? Why hide it, unless they had something to hide. Ripley might trust this man, but he'd never earned his and this was another strike against the man. Maybe he'd thought himself more important than what he was in Adele's life and that thought alone was humbling and painful. She was a grown woman. Free to make her own decisions, but somewhere along the line, he thought that his opinion at one point had mattered in her life....this was all leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Is that the kind of man you think I am Adele? You think that I don't want you to be happy? Well. Let me tell you this. Am I overly fond here of Mr. Floyd? No. In fact he hasn't done anying but glare at me and quite frankly rub me the wrong way, but have I EVER tried to interfere with your relationship? No. Now call me an arrogant fool, but Adele I have long looked after you as my own sister. Helped you get started in racing , when your family laughed at you to your face. I gave you the tips, the advice, the training, the job and the opportunities that most jockeys would kill for and I did it all out of love for you, as part of my family, but the fact that you couldn't be honest and open about THIS area of your life hurts more than I can say and right now... I'm angry. Angry with myself for making you think that you couldn't be honest with me and angry with your HUSBAND for not even thinking to speak to me about this matter, but then again....that might just be me assuming I had a more prominent role than I thought in your life. So there then. Please do move in with your husband and don't you dare think that I would come in the way of that." He turned briskly around and paused sharply. "Please be sure to rub down Fin before your departure. I still expect you to pull your weight around here Adele...unless... you'd rather just go work elsewhere?"

The question could have smothered her to death and she was struggling to breathe. Did she want to leave Intrepid? No. But things were going to be a little touchy around here for the next month or so and it wasn't going to be a picnic. She gripped the leather reins within her hands with a wringing death grip as she closed her eyes trying to collect both her breath and her brains. What was done was done. Should she have maybe talked to Nick out of courtesy, maybe. Had they? No. The words that had flown out of his mouth had resonated with truth to his true feelings and right now they were both hurt. She opened her eyes and focused them with a laser-like stare. "Have I ever shirked my responsibilities sir?" Nick took that as her answer and grunted as he turned back towards the main house, dust kicking up in his wake. She thought she might faint as the tears welled up in her eyes. God was she crying?! She didn't cry!

She inhaled and it sounded more like a strangled sob as Fin danced horizontally, with Adele struggling to hold on. This was how it had felt when she'd left her family. The people she loved, not giving a flying flip about her and letting her walk away. It didn't make any sense though. She still had her job. Nick hadn't fired her, but now she felt like she'd lost her family all over again and what did she have to show for it? She reached out desperately for Mal as her tears threatened to undo her. Would she have him to hold onto after everything she had lost? God she hoped so.

Nick watched from the window and shook his head. He hated seeing her like this, but knew that even though he didn't care for Mal, Mal did care for Adele. It was his job now to see to her and all he could do was helplessly watch. Had Ripley known all along? His blue eyes flashed coldly at the thought as he headed out the backdoor to where his truck was parked. Maybe blowing off some steam with Ripley would help bring things into a better light...if not that, then at least Brooks might let him hit on his whiskey stash. Lord knew he needed a drink right about now. Taking the back roads unnoticed over to Witch Creek, he looked back while he saw the dark forms of Mal, Adele and Fin in his rear view mirror.

[Ripley]

The colt at the end of the line danced anxiously as voices were raised from the apartment. Mal held onto the reins stiffly, uneasy about the turn of events. He wasn't a selfish guy by any means. He hadn't wanted the big wedding, but if Adele had wanted it, he would have done it. His stomach was an empty pit as Adele walked to the truck and slammed her bags in the back with Nick chasing after her. The man was like a freaking hound with her. Mal's fingers itched to grab him by his shirt collar and throw him as far as possible. Instead, Mal politely handed Adele the reins though his insides were vibrating like jelly.

Mal's cobalt blue eyes met Nick's above Adele's head. He didn't budge an inch from his position, straight as a tree. The Irishman met the challenge. He wanted to hit Nick so badly it hurt. Just a pop across that pretty boy face and he'd be on the ground faster than he could blink. The man chained the inner fury down, firmly placed his hands in his pockets while holding his mouth shut. Just because he wasn't a rich pretty boy did not mean he had less of a right to Adele. Bet Brooks would have been a dandy choice in Nick's cock-eyed brain.

Mal turned away as Adele led the colt toward the barn, blowing breaths out of his lungs and inhaling. It was only his loyalty to Adele that'd kept him from popping that pompous ass. God knew how Ripley liked him. Mal's ears caught the words Nick said next and his fury was almost a raging fire. Mal hated two things in life: overbearing family and overbearing family who thought they could hold one over someone until their death. So Adele owed Nick for everything? She owed him for the advice, the training, the horses. Bullshit!

Maybe Nick forgot who put their life on the line getting on his crazy eyed, wild-haired horses. Intrepid horses were hardly manageable and the fact that Nick thought he was doing Adele a favor sticking her up on those horses... What an asshole. Mal began to stalk toward them, eyes glowing with rage, but Nick was already turning away, walking to his house. Mal's face was dark with rage, but he stopped at the tears in Adele's eyes.

He gently pulled the reins out of her hands, hushed the snorting Fin. "Come here Adele, come here." He pulled her into his chest, hugged her tight while his eyes fired after Nick Landing. Watched him come into the window as he pulled his wife close. Then watched the man disappear from view.

Good riddance. He hoped he didn't see the man for a long time. He didn't want to end up in jail for beating an ignorant pretty boy.

[Cavallo]

The path to Witch Creek was as familiar to him as his backhand. He would often take the backroads to the partner stable in an attempt to avoid any paparazzi or unwanted media attention and so far they hadn't caught onto the out of the way path that Nick favored. The gravel flew and the wind blew. It was October now and the temperature was perfect and cool - wonderful for fall and hot tempers. He was silently berating himself for the way he'd handle the situation, but the best thing to do right now was exactly what he was doing, cooling off and collecting his thoughts. Ripley was about as soft with the truth as a nail and he already had a sneaky suspicion that the woman had been fully aware of what was happening with Malcolm and Adele and the fact even she hadn't said something got his fire going again. He shook the thought. He wasn't going to borrow trouble and it was true he didn't own Adele. He didn't control her life, but he did care. Maybe that care had translated into more than he'd intended, but it couldn't be denied that both sides here were at fault.

The radio was silent and it was only his thoughts and the roaring wind that kept him company as he drove up the drive and parked his truck outside of Ripley's and Brook's house on the property. He looked to check and saw their vehicles were there, took a calming breath and then opened his own truck door to approach the front door. He rapped on the door twice and stepped back stuffing his hands in his back pockets waiting for someone to come to the door. "Honestly. I don't know why I'm even here. It's not like I'll be getting a crying shoulder here from Marsh anyways..." But he did know why he was here. He needed to know. Needed to know if Marsh had known and if she had then why hadn't she said something. At least then he could have bit his tongue, been quiet and prepared and not have lashed out like he had. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth of regret and frustration. This was officially a mess.

---

"God. I feel like an idiot." She stepped back and rubbed her nose and wiped the tears away from her eyes, running her hands through her hair, her nervous or frustrated habit. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. "I'm sorry. I'm such a hot mess right now," she teased through watery eyes, her smile wane and a ghost of its normal caliber. "Sorry you had to witness all that. Honestly. It all went a lot better than I thought it would." She paused to take in his familiar face and could see the lingering anger in his cobalt depths and she shook her head. "Please don't. Don't be angry with him." He knew he would call her crazy, but she knew Nick and she knew that he'd been blindside by their little bomb of information and he would support her choices, just like he always had, but this was going to take time.

"I don't need you going and knocking his lights out." Her mouth genuinely quirked with a slight smile at the comical sight of seeing Mal knock Nick's lights out, but then shook it from her mind. It would have been funny for a second, but then she'd get seriously pissed with Mal for making the situation WAY worse. She shook her head and patted Fin's head. "Let's put Fin up and go home please. I'm tired and I could use a long...hot...shower." Her eyes brightened as she made the choice to focus on the brighter sides of her life and Mal was definitely one of them. "I'll be quick I promise." She gave him the briefest of kisses on the lips and grabbed Fin and trotted off to the barn with Fin's head tossing playfully into the air. She quickly untacked the colt and rubbed him down giving him an affectionate rub on his neck before letting herself out of the stall. "See you tomorrow boy." and with that rushed back to her truck loaded down with all of her material possessions. "Ready when you are Mr. Floyd."