Category: Hurt/Comfort
A New Light (by Wrangler)
Summary: After Joe is found alive after months spent in captivity, his family’s joy is short-lived. Now Ben, Adam, and Hoss must decipher why Joe adamantly insists that for the rest of his life he must stay in the darkness. A sequel to “Stay in the Darkness.”
Rating: MA (graphic violence and adult subject matter) Word Count: 56,931
Reckoning and Redemption (by bonanzagirl)
Summary: Joe tries to repair his friendship with Mitch, which leads to many other problems. Meanwhile, he’s being watched.
Sequel to the story ‘The Summer Vacation.’ It is useful to have read the first story, but not necessary.
Rating: PG Word Count: 20700
Vengence (By Lillian Montane)
Summary: Ben and Little Joe are targeted in retaliation of being key witnesses in a murder case that lead to a hanging.
Word count: 4,928
rated: M
The Loft – #3 (by Pat D in PA)
Summary: In the final entry of three short stories, can the Cartwright hayloft provide poor Hoss with the comfort and understanding he needs to deal with the humiliation and shame he feels after being teased by unkind classmates?
Rating: K/G (3,401 words)
Different Than Planned (by bonanzagirl)
Summary: The story plays after the episode ‘Between Heaven and Earth.’ Joe plans a well-deserved summer vacation, but the journey becomes an unexpected nightmare.
Rating: M Word Count: 19100
Stay in the Darkness (by Wrangler)
Summary: After Joe is found alive after months spent in captivity, his family’s joy is short-lived. Now Ben, Adam, and Hoss must decipher why Joe adamantly insists that for the rest of his life he must “Stay in the Darkness ” Joe/ family/ Drama/ Hurt/Comfort.
Rating T-13. Word count 40,990
Catamount (by SydneyFate)
Summary: The Cartwrights’ new friend, Black Bear, encounters a wild cat, and they catch the tail end of the adventure.
This story was written for the Chaps & Spurs 2025 1st Quarter Challenge.”
Rating: T (2,350 words)
Porcupine Creek (by LillianMontane)
Adam takes care of Joe after a run-in with a wild animal.
Rated: T word count: 2917
Stuck (by bonanzagirl)
Summary: Joe is once again in a tight spot
Rating: PG Word count: 6500
A Ghost Passed This Way (by HarpistforHim)
Summary: During the events of “A Stranger Passed This Way,” Adam struggles against his own emotions while trying to comfort Joe as they both face the grim reality of losing Hoss to the Vandervorts. A Missing Scene Story because these boys deserve some comfort.
Rating: G Word Count: 2,106
The Kidnapping (by LillianMontane)
Summary: Little Joe gets kidnapped during a bank robbery. Will he survive? Will he be found?
Rated: T Word count: 7192
Did We Win (by AC1830)
Summary: The Founders Day horse race was a tradition for Adam and Joe Cartwright, but the question always is – which brother will win?
Rating: G, Word Count: 772
Ever With You (by Wrangler)
Summary: Little Joe couldn’t believe it when Pa turned his back and walked away. Adam had been injured and it was Joe’s fault and Ben refused to get him out of the charges or even post bail. Now after six weeks in the Virginia City jail Joe must face Pa for the first time and make a tough decision about his future. A lesson about love, the tough kind.
Rating T (word count 21,290)
Trials and Tribulations (by LillianMontane)
Summary: Joe has a hard go of it with some ranch hands. Can Adam help him through it before they do some serious damage?
Rated T Word count: 11,127
Justice Served (by BluewindFarm)
Summary: What was the real reason behind Adam leaving the Ponderosa? He claimed Justice.
Rating: Teens, due to western-themed violence. (29,255 Words)