Love the heavy feeling this fic has - you can almost feel everyone holding their breaths for the things that are coming. The comparisons Sydney makes between Hardin and Ashley are painfully honest and poignant, and I like that this verse makes it easier for Ashley and Sydney to be honest/open with each other (or at least less outright defensive). Joshua is also a cutie and the ending makes some neat parallels between Ashley and the horses he works with. :)