Relief didn't even begin to describe Jack's emotions as he sat in the waiting room. It hadn't been her, covered up by the white sheet, but it could have been. The EMT's had said she suffered from at least a broken neck and possible paralysis but now that the hospital had taken over her treatment. No one would tell him anything because he wasn't family.

A redheaded woman approached them and they stood up hoping for news. "Hello, my name is Bridget Carter I am a social worker with the hospital. Can I talk to you in private?" The woman asked Jack and Marion.

The woman ushered the two to a different corner of the room and Marion instinctively grabbed her fathers arm, "Is Lisa OK?"

Bridget paused, "I'm sorry, I don't have the authority to give you information in regards to a patent since you are not family. This is about Clare and Cora Hartfield, an individual from the Child Protective Burrow will be here shortly to get them and place them in a temporary foster home until a relative will be located."

Jack's heart stopped briefly at the idea of the two girls being taken to a foster home. "We can take them, they spend the night with my girls all the time." Marion interjected.

Bridget frowned, "I am sorry but you are not licensed nor have you had a home inspection

"Now hold on a second. You mean to take these girls away and put them with some stranger because we don't have a piece of paper?" Jack paused trying not to let anger get the best of him. "You can't do that. Those girls have been through a lot and they need to be with people they know. People they trust."

"We can get inspected or whatever else you need." Marion interjected.

"I'm not a social worker. I can't make any commitments of the sort." And with that the woman left leaving Jack and Marion fuming and upset.

"Dad, we will solve this. They will come home with us." Marion said firmly.

~~~Heartland~~~

Marion, after wearing down the social worker a young and idealistic man named Clint, she left the hospital with the kids. She also left with the agreement to seek an emergency permit for temporary care of children. She had left her father to harass the doctors and as she drove down the road she reflected on everything that had happened.

If it hadn't been clear before, her father was clearly completely in love with Lisa. It had been clear since they met, but her father was not one to show emotions but today he looked broken. He looked like he did when her mother had died. She wasn't prepared for how attached she had become. She had to admit she felt incredibly protective over Lisa and her girls. She hadn't planned on feeling that way about her father's pretty young blond girlfriend who in reality was only about 10 years older than herself. She should have realized that with Lisa's profession her father would be hurt. She should have said something. But it was too late.

~~~Heartland~~~
Over the course of the next few days things unfolded quickly. The girls had been taken from Marion and Jack and made to stay with Lisa's Father. The hospital had contacted him alongside her husband and Tom Stillman had been quick to dismiss Jack and Marion. He was suspicious of any acquaintances his daughter might have made knowing only the 18 year old Lisa who had left home.

Jack had been sitting facing Tom in the waiting room for the length of the day each day the past three days. The two had never said a word since their stiff encounter on the first day and the girls interacted with Jack and played with him until Tom took them home each night. Marrion would stop by with Amy and Lou and the four girls would take off to the cafeteria for lunch leaving Marion to watch her father and ensure that he ate.

Marion was still fuming about the girls being made to stay with someone they had never met and began to work with Clint on receiving a foster care license in case there was a chance Tom wouldn't work out as a caregiver. She found herself particularly attracted to the idea of foster care as a way to help kids. She was lost in thought, considering first aid classes and other requirements when Cora raced in to the room crying and ran streght for Marion and Jack.

"Clare what's wrong?" Marion asked as she took the girl in to her lap.

"My dad's here." She whispered. "Can you hide me?I don't want him to hurt me again."

Tom stood up shocked and Jack was torn between comforting Cora and finding and tearing apart the man that had made her cry.

The other three kids came in to the room quickly and only moments later a tall figure entered the room. Jack brushed a tear from Clare's eye, "Don't worry. You are not going anywhere near him." He stood up abruptly and joined Tom putting their bodies between the man and the girls.

"I came as soon as I heard. Dan Heartfeild." He said extending his hand to Tom who ignored it.

"You should rot in hell for all that you've done to my grandkids, to my daughter. You took her from me you son of a bitch! She was so young." Tom moved towards Dan with intentions of throwing him up against a wall but Jack stopped him.

"Stop. He's not worth your time. We report him and let him rot for this." Jack spat out glaring at Dan. "Get out. Now!" He growled.

Dan walked slowly away and Jack quickly went to the front desk and informed security. Within 20 minutes the police had taken statements and a child councilor was on her way to talk to Clare and Cora. At the end of the day Dan was being charged with abuse and would likely serve time. Tom and Jack while still not speaking to one another looked the other in the eyes with respect.

~~~~Heartland~~~~

Nearly a week after the accident Drs informed Tom and Jack that Lisa was beginning to regain consciousness and the doctors would be able to evaluate any brain damage that might have occurred during the trauma and subsequent medical coma. The first day only Tom got to see her and Jack was furious. He wanted nothing more than to see her face and ensure that she was breathing.

As if Tom could read his mind he patted Jack's back. "Tomorrow you can be her visitor. She's been asking about you."

That night Jack barely slept. But when he did he dreamed of the future.

The sun was peeking through the curtains in his bedroom and shone a light on Lisa's golden hair. She awoke slowly squinting in the light of the morning. "Morning" She said softly.

"Morning." He said kissing her forehead.

"You let me oversleep again." Lisa complained as she climbed out of bed and pulled on sweats and a large shirt. "We have a big day today. I need to start breakfast."

The couple emerged in to the living room and kitchen where a much older version of Cora, Clare, Amy, Lou, and Marion where already gathered nursing coffees. "Good morning." Lisa called as she strode in to the kitchen, "You guys are here early. Where are the boys?"

"Bonding or something outside." Lou said rolling her eyes.

"My lovely husband just wanted to show them what he built. Now they all have to stand around ant talk about the structural integrity of it." Amy laughed

"Did you guys break ground on the house? I didn't see anything on my drive in." Clare said.

Amy rolled her eyes. He set some posts in the ground and put in some concrete for a garage for his truck but we still haven't broken ground on the house."

Lisa smiled. "Pancakes anyone, or eggs?"

"No… Please no food." Cora whispered. "The baby hates literally everything I put in my body."

Marion sighed, "you have to eat something. I think I have some herbs in the barn that might help."

Cora laughed, "I'm not a horse. I just need to get through this trimester then I'll be fine.."

Lisa laughed, "What I thought when I was pregnant with you. I was sick until the moment you were born though."

"Ugh mom can't you tell me something more encouraging?" Cora said rolling her eyes.

Jack chuckled. "Are you all ready for today?"

The group nodded and Clare lit up. The group was welcoming back her long term boyfriend from a tour in the war. What they didn't know was that he had written to Jack and Lisa with plans to propose to Clare. Lisa glared at Jack reminding him not to give away the secret and he forgot everything for a moment. All he could think of was his wife's beauty. Then as he looked around he took in his family which was larger than he ever expected with "three kids" two granddaughters, a great granddaughter and a home that meant the world to him.

"Dad" Cora called. "Dad" Marion called

"Mom wants to know if you want pancakes." Clare said getting his attention.

Jack smiled, "How could I say no to pancakes. Why don't I make some bacon to go with?"

It was a nice future. A good dream and jack could picture it being a reality in the future. But little did he know it would look nothing like that.

~~~Heartland~~~~

So I hope you guys like this. I am trying to speed up to get to the part I have been waiting to write. The rest of this series will be bits of AU series moments or Pre series moments. I want to explore Jacks perspective on things that happen in the series as well as connect the dots of why Marion starts fostering kids because she doesn't just end up with Scott and then Ty by accident. I wanted there to be a reason why she was so keen on having kids at the ranch.

I think the rest of this story will be posted as a new story because there will be a gap in time and it will be more like one shots based on one episode or another or a concept about what happened before the series started. I want to explore Tim's return and Ty's arrival through the eyes of this new Family.