Wildfire

The fourth season begins six months after Kris was forced out of Raintree, which has undergone significant operational changes that leave Matt pining for the past.

Kris and Junior catch up. It’s an awkward moment but Junior is happy to see her. Kris is there to see Wildfire race and that’s it. She asks him not to tell Matt that she’s in town, and Junior agrees. Junior, still absorbing the surprise of seeing Kris, returns to the engagement party, but doesn’t propose. At the horse clinic Dani finds that business maybe harder to come by then she thought. Dr Ronald, because he’s been teaching for the past 5 years, doesn’t have any loyal clients. Dr. Ronald doesn’t seem all that interested in helping to sell the new business either. Later Junior comes to see Dani but runs into Kris (Dani is letting her crash at the clinic). He begs a reluctant Kris to go and see Matt; it would be good for him, but Kris isn’t so sure it would. Everyone heads out to see Wildfire race. As Pablo leaves Davis Farms, Davis questions Pablo about the amount of time he’s spending with Wildfire, leaving Pablo feeling the pressure from his new boss. As Uncle Jesse and Jean walk around the racetrack they talk about the Raintree and it’s future as a thoroughbred racing farm. Jean seems content to move on and do the dude ranch square dance. Matt though is determined to keep racing alive. Kris, who stalks around the racetrack, runs into Dr. Noah Gleason, who proves his veterinary acumen by helping a horse that throws its back out. Later she runs into Junior and Laura. Laura is pleased to meet Kris, but Kris is obviously uncomfortable. Junior tells Laura that Kris is just there to see Wildfire race, and Laura points out that he must have seen her before that day. Junior is busted. Wildfire’s race is a disaster; he collides with another horse and comes up lame. Everyone rushes to check on him, including Kris; her concern outweighing her need to remain hidden. Wildfire is rushed to Dani’s clinic, and it is determined that Wildfire has broken his cannon bone. Dr. Ronald suggests that Wildfire be put to sleep, but Kris drags Noah in for a second opinion and he recommends a new surgical procedure. Jean puts aside her anger regarding Kris and tells Noah to go ahead with the surgery. Kris and Dani bond as they wait during the surgery, their relationship seemingly thawed. The surgery is a success, but Wildfire faces a difficult road to recovery. Laura goes to help Junior, whose car has died, and he finally proposes. Dani tells Dr. Ronald that she’s hiring Noah, prompting him to quit. Kris tells Matt that she’s decided to stay…for Wildfire. She’s moved on and so should Matt.

Wildfire’s recovery continues and he returns to Raintree, but Jean makes it very clear that Kris won’t be joining him. Believing that her time with Wildfire has come to an end, Kris decides to leave town. As she leaves with Dani to the bus station Noah has a small accident and they have to rush him to the hospital. Junior and Laura take in the wedding announcement that Davis planted in the paper. Junior runs into Calvin Handley, a schoolmate from high school. Junior tries to catch up with Calvin, but he’s not interested as he still holds a grudge from prom night when Junior stole his date. Noah, resigned to a wheel chair, is going to need help with rounds, which Dani can’t do because of investor meetings, so Kris volunteers. She can take a later bus out of town. Pablo comes to see Kris. He’s seen the effect that Kris’ presence is having on Jean, and tells her in no uncertain terms that he wants her to leave town. Kris is poleaxed, but Noah informs Pablo that she’s his new assistant. Junior goes to Matt and asks him to be his best man, and Matt says yes. Matt also confirms Kyle Handley’s story. Matt’s dream of keeping horse racing alive at Raintree takes another hit as Jean wants to put Wildfire in a pen where dude ranchers can take pictures with him. Their argument is cut short when Wildfire has an emergency. Junior goes to apologize to Calvin, but learns that Calvin has been working on a wind turbine design which intrigues Junior. The only thing holding Calvin back is lack of money. Noah and Kris rush to attend to Wildfire; Noah insists, over Jean’s objections, that Kris assist him with Wildfire. Davis is dead-set against it Junior investing in the wind turbine. Junior is forced to go to Calvin and tell him that he can’t invest in the turbine. Kris goes to Jean and tells her that she cares about Wildfire and he wouldn’t be where he is now if she hadn’t pushed and that he needs Kris to get better. Jean finally relents and allows Kris to take care of Wildfire. Junior and Laura go to see Calvin, and Junior tells Calvin that he is personally investing in his wind turbine. Matt finds Wildfire standing strong in his new pen. He asks Jean what happened and she tells him that Kris is rehabbing Wildfire until he’s better. Matt can’t help but feel he’s won a small victory. Kris returns to the clinic and Dani offers her the assistant job. Later they go to tend horses at Raintree and Kris’ presence ignites Wildfire. He jumps from his pen, proving that his leg is healing and that Kris is exactly what he needs.

In the wake of Wildfire’s surprising leap from his pen, Matt is swept back up in the idea that Wildfire can resurrect Raintree’s racing heritage; he’ll just have to figure out how to juggle that with the new corporate dudes and a resistant Jean. This brings Matt to Kris. He needs her help to train Wildfire but Kris tries to convince Matt to give up the dream of Wildfire’s return to glory. Kris knows Matt won’t give up and enlists Junior -- who is busy avoiding planning the wedding, running Davis Farms and dealing with the wind turbine prototype -- to help find Matt a thoroughbred (instead of Wildfire). Junior has an idea: Flame. At the clinic a chemistry begins to build between Dani and Noah, as he performs acupressure on her and sparks begin to fly, they both try to stifle those feelings though. Kris goes to Matt find Flame at a dilapidated ranch where the horses, including Flame, have been badly neglected. When they confront the owner he becomes confrontational, and they decide a different tack will have to be taken. They go to Noah who tells them he can call a friend at the ASPCA to seize the horses. Dani goes to Noah to talk about what happened between them, but Noah plays dumb. Matt and Kris talk about Matt’s waning interest in the dude ranch, and he points out how much Kris has changed. She agrees; she’s changed for the better, she’s not always fighting and picks her battles. Noah interrupts with bad news: the ASPCA couldn’t seize the horses. Junior joins Kris, Matt and Dani at the clinic bearing a briefcase full of money. It’s enough to make a solid offer on Flame. As Matt plays hooky, Pablo visits Jean at Raintree. She’s had a new pen build for Wildfire, she tells Pablo about Matt’s desire to return to racing and Pablo wonders if she would be okay with Matt going out on his own. The Fab Four drive together, but as they approach the Farm they realize that the barn is on fire; and to their horror the horses are still inside. They spring into action and brave the dangerous barn fire to rescue the horses in the barn. Kris goes after Flame but Junior pulls her out because of the danger. Flame remains trapped in the barn, but they watch as Matt rides out of the barn atop Flame. Kris asks Junior why he pulled her before they could save Flame, and Junior tells her if he had to choose, he’d choose Kris every time. Matt returns to Raintree with the newly dubbed Dirty Dozen, much to Jean’s surprise. It looks like racing will return to Raintree after all.

Kris revels in the new adventure of helping Matt with the Dirty Dozen (the rescued horses from 4004), while trying to deal with the awkwardness of Junior’s inviting her to his wedding. Junior, meanwhile, has his hands full with planning a turbine presentation with Calvin and planning his wedding with an increasingly frustrated Laura. Laura is relieved when Junior informs her that Kris won’t be attending; telling him that she was never comfortable with the idea, and points out to Junior that Kris must’ve felt the same way. When Junior goes to Raintree to pickup his best man, Kris is there to help train Flame. She tells Junior that she overreacted and that she’d love to come to the wedding. Junior is flummoxed. Kris realizes that Flame is herd bound, so they put him with other horses and Flame responds. Later, Kris runs into Laura who tells her that she’s sorry Kris can’t make it to the wedding. Kris tells her that she told Junior she was coming. The girls air the awkwardness of the situation, and Kris hears from Laura that Junior’s been acting odd since the horse rescue. Kris confronts Junior about this, and when Laura stumbles upon them matters are made worse. Flame’s training continues, but it’s clear he’s going to need more attention. Kris tells Matt that the only way to make things work is for her to return to Raintree. Matt is hesitant but realizes that he and Kris make a great team. Kris decides to help out Calvin, so Junior can work on the wedding with Laura. They makeup and Laura takes Junior to the presentation which goes off without a hitch. It goes so well in fact that when Junior tells Kris he’s going to hand the reins over to Calvin she talks him out of it. She’s seen the passion he has for it and believes it would be a big mistake for Junior to abandon it; Junior agrees but is conflicted. Laura asks Kris to replace a bridesmaid that’s dropped out. Kris accepts the offer. Dani, who’s been having her own boy problems with Noah, tells Kris that Laura probably wants to keep an eye on her, and isn’t so sure that Laura’s suspicions about Kris aren’t unfounded. Kris confronts Junior and wonders if they could ever get back what they had. It’s clear Junior still has feelings for her, but tells her that once he’s married they can’t be friends anymore. Matt tells Kris that Jean isn’t sold on the idea of Kris returning to Raintree, but in a final triumphant moment they run Flame and he finally breaks away from the pack convincing Jean to give Kris another chance.

With Junior’s wedding almost here the fab 4 are feeling the pressure. Matt promised to give a reading but is struggling with work demands and Junior and Kris avoid each other. To top it off Wildfire has been jumping from his pen. Kris offers to find him a companion horse and Jean reluctantly agrees. Kris goes to Pablo to ask his advice and that’s when she hits on the idea that maybe passion will settle him. They decide to try a hottie mare. After their kiss Dani and Noah are awkward around each other, a fact that Davis notes. Kris tries the mare but it doesn’t work so she tries another horse. Pablo asks Jean to be his wedding date and she accepts. At the wedding rehearsal Junior shares a suggestion of Calvin’s, that they use the turbines to power the wedding. Laura refuses and when Kris chimes in Laura gets upset and Matt thinks Kris is sabotaging the wedding. When the wedding day arrives Kris checks on Wildfire and he leaps out. As he prepares himself Junior talks to Davis about his conflicted feelings and then goes on a quick drive to clear his head. When he stops at an intersection Wildfire goes sailing over his car. Kris comes running after and the two join forces to catch Wildfire. Dani finds out Noah was summoned by Davis to care for a sick horse. Dani suspects manipulation and questions Davis who admits he lied to bring Noah here but he only wanted to help. He warns her not to let this one go. Junior and Kris catch Wildfire and keep him with a friendly farmer. Kris and Junior consider leaving together but Kris can’t be the one that breaks up his wedding. They go back separately. Dani finds Noah and convinces him to stay for the wedding. Kris tells Matt she figured out that Wildfire jumps because he loves jumping but Matt tells her the real reason is he misses his connection to Kris. Davis offers Pablo a partnership. The wedding starts. Kris thinks back on her entire relationship with Junior. It’s all about to end and she can’t stop it. Matt starts his reading and draws a blank. Then he sees Kris which sparks a heartfelt speech of love and friendship. Then the lights go out. As people scramble for candles Dani tells Noah she would like to try a relationship and he agrees. Junior signals Calvin then discusses his relationship with Laura. He’s worried that she doesn’t support his passions but she quickly guesses the real reason he’s upset. He’s still in love with Kris. Calvin flips a switch and the lights go on. Then Junior emerges with bad news. The wedding is off.