Summary:  Adam comes home for a visit and finds some things have changed in his absence.
Rating:  Teens
Words:  7,240

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The Brandsters have included this story by this author in our project: Preserving Their Legacy. To preserve the legacy of the author, we have decided to give their work a home in the Bonanza Brand Fanfiction Library.  The author will always be the owner of this work of fanfiction, and should they wish us to remove their story, we will.

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The Replacement

Once the stage rolled to a stop outside the Virginia City station, Adam got out and stretched his legs. Looking around, he couldn’t resist a small smile. Things were pretty much the way he remembered them, give or take a new coat of paint here and there. Taking his bag from the driver, he made his way slowly down the street toward the livery stable, taking in the sights, sounds and smells he’d been missing for so long. As he reached the sheriff’s office, he paused briefly before going inside.

“Be with ya in a minute,” Roy murmured absently, not bothering to look up from the letter he was writing. When he did, his eyes grew round with surprise. “Adam? Adam Cartwright?” he exclaimed, getting to his feet to greet the man in black. “By golly! When did you get into town?”

“Just this moment,” Adam smiled, shaking the older man’s hand. “It’s good to see you, Roy.”

“Your Pa was in here just yesterday,” Roy informed him. “He said you was comin’ but not for another month or so.”

“I managed to get a little more time off than I’d expected, so I thought I’d come home early and surprise Pa,” Adam smiled. Home. No matter how long he’d been gone, he still considered the Ponderosa home and it felt good to say it, knowing that it was only a short ride away.

“Well he’ll be surprised all right, I can guarantee that,” Roy chuckled. “Want me to give you a ride out there?”

“Thanks, Roy, but I was going to rent a horse at the livery and ride out myself. It’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to really ride.”

“Nice day for it, too,” Roy beamed, shaking his hand again. “You give your best to your family, ya hear?”

“I will,” Adam promised. “See you later.”

Adam went through a similar reunion with old Charlie at the livery stable before he was finally on his way out to the ranch he’d called home for most of his life. The property was even more beautiful than he remembered and he took the opportunity to fill his lungs with the clean, pine-scented air as he rode.

As he rode into the yard, he stopped the horse and sat there for a moment staring at the house. How he’d missed it these past years. As uncustomary tears sprang to his eyes, he realized how much he’d truly missed those who waited inside. Dismounting, he grabbed his bag and strode toward the front door.

He was only slightly disappointed to enter and find the dining room and living room empty. Taking off his hat and hanging it on the familiar peg near the door, he made his way toward the kitchen.

“Hop Sing?” he called. “Anybody here?”

When he found the kitchen also deserted, he turned and headed for the stairs. He’d unpack his things and be waiting when they got home. Contemplating how good it felt to be back in the house, he climbed the stairs toward his old room.

He had just finished unpacking when he heard the front door open and the sound of voices. Unable to hide a smile of pleasure at the familiar tones, he made his way to the top of the stairs. Joe, Hoss and another man were talking and laughing as they took off their gun belts.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” he drawled, beginning the descent toward his brothers.

“Adam?” Hoss exclaimed in obvious surprise as he saw his brother coming toward them. “Well, I’ll be!” he grinned, hurrying across the floor to grab his brother’s hand in a hearty welcome. “Why in tarnation didn’t you tell us you was comin’?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Adam replied with a smile.

“It’s good to see you, brother,” Joe grinned, taking his turn to shake Adam’s hand while at the same time clapping him on the back. “Pa is out in the barn. Boy, is he going to be surprised.”

“That was the idea,” Adam grinned, looking at his brothers. “I’d say you’ve grown, Joe, but you really haven’t,” he teased. Turning to Hoss, he added, “Thankfully, you haven’t either.”

Looking toward the door where the other man still stood, his hands on his hips and a smile on his face, Adam offered a polite smile. “You must be Candy,” he assumed.

“It’s hard to believe you two never met,” Hoss apologized for the lack of introduction. “Adam, this here’s Candy Canaday. Candy, our long lost brother, Adam.”

“Good to finally meet you,” Candy grinned, coming forward to shake the other man’s hand. “I feel like I know you already.”

“The feeling’s mutual,” Adam smiled, returning the handshake. “Pa told me all about you in his letters.”

“I’m sure you’ll like him, anyway,” Joe teased with a grin. “He’s really not a bad sort, once you get to know him.”

The teasing was interrupted by the sound of Ben coming through the door. Taking off his hat, he glanced briefly at the group of young men standing to his to his right and proceeded to take off his gun belt. Stopping halfway through the process, he turned to the others again, his eyes full of surprise and disbelief. “Adam?” he exclaimed quietly, as though afraid his mind was playing a cruel trick and the sound of his voice might scatter the image of his son into thin air.

“It’s me, Pa,” Adam smiled, moving toward his father.

As the two men met, Ben grabbed him in a warm embrace. “It’s good to see you, son,” he exclaimed, unable to wipe the wide grin from his face. Releasing his oldest son from the hug, but keeping a hand on both shoulders, he pressed for details. “Why didn’t you write you were coming? We would have met you at the stage.”

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Adam grinned. “By the look on your face, I’d say I was successful.”

“It sure is a surprise,” Ben beamed, pulling Adam to him in yet another tight hug. “The best surprise of all.”

********

Hop Sing had been equally happy to see that the oldest of the Cartwright sons had returned home. In Adam’s honour, he cooked a huge dinner that included all his favorites. As they sat down to eat, conversation centred on the latest news from the Ponderosa as well as Adam’s adventures at sea.

“I can’t tell you how good it is to have all my sons at the table,” Ben smiled, looking around at his family. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever see it again.”

Candy offered a slightly embarrassed smile. “Well, while the four of you get reacquainted, I’d better get out and check on things in the bunkhouse. Excuse me.” Getting up from the table, he headed for the front door.

“He seems like a good man,” Adam commented as soon as Candy was out of earshot.

“He is,” Ben nodded with a smile. “In the year he’s been here, he’s become more than just a foreman; he’s practically part of the family. We’re lucky to have him.”

“Guess you needed some extra help to keep this one in line while I was gone,” Adam teased, nudging Joe’s arm.

“Pa does a good job of that all by himself,” Hoss chuckled. “But it’s still a full time job at times.”

“Yeah, like you’re no trouble at all,” Joe grinned, enjoying the banter. “What about your brilliant idea with the gold detector, huh?”

“They’re both a handful sometimes,” Ben interjected, his eyebrow raised in mock severity. “Surely you haven’t forgotten that whole mayoral race in Virginia City.”

“Seems I recall you getting into a few scrapes yourself, Pa,” Hoss teased. “Like when that Postly feller held you and Candy prisoner in that mine shaft.”

“Seems there are a few stories I’ve yet to catch up on,” Adam smiled, folding his arms on the table in front of him. “Ok, who’s first?”

Candy was about to enter the house when the sound of laughter reached his ears. Hesitating briefly, he smiled as he caught brief snippets of the conversation inside. Not wanting to intrude on the family reunion, he quietly made his way back to the bunkhouse.

**********
Candy was just finishing breakfast as Joe came down the next morning.

“Hey, I didn’t hear you come in last night,” Joe grinned in way of a greeting.

“I didn’t,” Candy smiled. “I spent the night in the bunkhouse.”

“What for?” Joe asked, frowning as he poured a cup of coffee. “Anything wrong out there?”

“Nope,” Candy shook his head as he got up from his chair. “Just felt like it,” he grinned.

Adam and Hoss came down at that moment and all exchanged greetings. “Don’t tell me you’re finished already,” Hoss exclaimed, eyeing Candy’s empty plate.

“Mista Candy up early,” Hop Sing volunteered as he brought food to the table. “Finish while breakfast still hot.”

“Sorry, Hop Sing,” Joe apologized. “We were all up pretty late talking.”

“Hop Sing know,” the Chinese man grinned. “Good to have Mista Adam here.”

“Well, I’ve got work to do,” Candy announced with a smile as he excused himself from the table. “I’ll see you all later.”

“Don’t forget we’ve got to go into town this morning,” Joe reminded him as he loaded his plate with ham and eggs. “That new wheel should be ready.”

“Right,” Candy nodded. “Just let me know when you’re ready.” With that, he left the house in the direction of the barn.

“I could go into town for that wheel if you want,” Adam offered as he took the platter of eggs from Hoss.

“That’s all right,” Joe assured him. “Candy and I were planning on doing it anyway. It’s a two person job.”

“Right,” Adam smiled slightly. Turning to Hoss, he added, “And just what do you have planned for the day?”

“I’ll be fixin’ the fence up near Johnson’s Meadow,” Hoss informed him, tearing a slice of bread in half. “And unlike our little brother here, I won’t turn down help if you’re offerin’.”

“Well, I’m offering,” Adam smiled. “It’ll feel good to do ranch work again.”

“If you think you can still handle ranch work,” Joe teased, winking at Hoss. “What do you think, Hoss? Is our older brother here still up to the challenge?”

“I’ll show you who’s up to what,” Adam teased back. “I’ll bet I can still work you under the table.”

“Well, you’ll get plenty of opportunity to prove it,” Hoss chuckled. “There’s a lot to be done around here just now.”

Joe finished his breakfast and got up from the table. “Candy and I should be back by lunch,” he informed them as he pulled on his jacket. Patting the pockets, he frowned slightly. “Hoss, where’s that notebook I gave you yesterday?”

“I gave it to Candy to check over the figures,” Hoss replied, not looking up from his plate. “I reckon it’s prob’ly in his room.”

“Thanks,” Joe answered, heading for the stairs.

Adam watched Joe hurry up the stairs and turned to Hoss thoughtfully. “Candy sleeps here in the house?” he asked casually.

“Yep,” Hoss nodded matter-of-factly. “Like Pa said, he’s like one of the family.”

“I see,” Adam mused, taking a sip of his coffee.

After a moment, Joe made his way once again down the stairs. “Got it,” he announced, waving the small notebook in his hand. “I’ll see you two later. And don’t work our big brother here too hard, Hoss.”

Joe ducked the napkin Adam tossed at him and left the house with a familiar chortle.

**********

Ben, Adam and Hoss were halfway through the noon meal when Candy and Joe came in. Ben was about to ask about the delay when he noticed the bruise on his youngest son’s jaw. “All right, what happened?” he asked firmly.

“It wasn’t Joe’s fault, Mr. Cartwright,” Candy replied. “Bob Matthews was in town causing trouble with his wife. Joe tried to intervene on her behalf and Bob hit him.”

“I see,” Ben murmured, his eyebrows arched in skeptic acceptance of the explanation. “I don’t suppose it ended there.”

Joe offered a slightly sheepish look as he and Candy took their seats at the table. “Well, not exactly,” he admitted quietly.

“What exactly did happen next?” Ben asked.

“Well, we, uh…” he glanced at Candy briefly. “Kinda got into a fight, Pa.” In an attempt to defend his actions, he added, “He was pushing her around, trying to force her back to the ranch. What did you want me to do, just walk away?”

“Of course not,” Ben stated. “But something like that is a job for the sheriff.”

“Oh, the sheriff does come into the story,” Candy grinned. “Go ahead, Joe, tell him the rest.”

“Thanks a lot,” Joe murmured under his breath, shooting Candy a smirk. “Well, Pa, when Sheriff Coffee broke up the fight, he ….put us both in jail.”

“Oh, he did, did he?” Ben asked sternly. “Joseph, I sent you to town to pick up that wheel, period. Can’t you manage to stay away from Bob Matthews even one day?”

“They’ve been fighting a lot, lately,” Hoss explained to Adam. “Bob Matthews married the gal Joe was sweet on.”

“I wasn’t sweet on her,” Joe argued tersely. “I just didn’t think Matthews was the man for her. Obviously I was right.”

“What did you mean he was trying to force her back to the ranch?” Adam frowned.

“She finally got the sense to leave him,” Joe replied. “She’s been staying in town until she gets up enough money to move back east with her aunt. He doesn’t want her to go.”

“Joe’s got a point, though,” Hoss interjected. “Bob never did treat her too well. He’s drunk most of the time.”

“Which is exactly why I asked you to stay away from him,” Ben added. “He thinks you’re the one who talked Amy into leaving him. Who knows what he might do?”

“I was staying away from him, Pa,” Joe defended himself. “He was trying to drag her into the wagon in the middle of the street. I had to do something.”

“He’s telling the truth, Mr. Cartwright,” Candy concurred. “Sheriff Coffee wasn’t anywhere in sight and if Joe hadn’t stopped him, he would have had her halfway back to that ranch before anyone caught up to him.”

“Well, I suppose you were only doing what you had to do,” Ben acquiesced. “But in the future, stay away from Bob Matthews whenever you can, do you understand me?”

“Yes sir,” Joe mumbled contritely.

“Did you explain things to Roy?” Ben asked.

“I told him how it all started,” Candy answered. “Once he heard the story, he let Joe go but he’s going to keep Bob until he sobers up.”

“Thank you, Candy,” Ben acknowledged. “I guess that’s the end of that, then. You boys better eat up before your lunch gets cold.”

As they resumed their meal, Adam looked across the table at the newest addition to the family. Pondering his thoughts on the situation, he decided wisely to keep them to himself for the time being.

**********

Adam and Hoss were riding out to finish their job on the fence when Adam broached the subject uppermost on his mind. “Candy and Joe seem pretty close,” he offered casually.

“Guess we all got pretty close to Candy,” Hoss shrugged. “He’s an easy sort to get along with.”

“Yeah, I know, he’s like part of the family,” Adam muttered under his breath, his tone laced with irritation.

“What’s that?” Hoss asked, frowning slightly.

“I said it must come in handy,” Adam replied, “having him around, I mean.”

“He’s a good worker,” Hoss agreed as they reached their destination. Dismounting, he squinted up at where his brother still sat on his horse. “It’s almost like havin’ another brother around,” he grinned.

Though Adam returned the smile, he couldn’t fight the feeling of resentment Hoss had unknowingly caused with the words. “I’ll bet,” he mused, getting down from Sport to begin work on the fence. “And Pa treats him like another son.”

“Guess he does at that,” Hoss nodded as he tied the horses to a fence post. “Candy has as much respect for Pa as any one of us.”

Adam didn’t comment directly, but his mind wrestled with the words as he worked. Though he’d accepted Candy as a presence on the ranch as soon as he’d read his father’s letter saying that he’d hired a new foreman, he hadn’t been expecting to find the new man so involved with the interactions of the family. His feelings were ones that had taken him by surprise and he wasn’t sure he wanted to admit them, even to himself. Trying to put the thoughts out of his mind, he gave the task at hand his full concentration.

********

At dinner, conversation was pleasant with everyone talking about how their day had gone. Adam was in an especially good mood, having rediscovered his love for ranch work. When they were finished, Joe looked at Hoss across the table.

“How ‘bout a game of checkers,” he offered.

“No, not me, little brother,” Hoss chuckled. “I’ve bin cheated by you ‘nuff times over the years to know better.”

Joe made a slight face at his older brother before turning to Candy. “How ‘bout you?”

“Why not,” Candy grinned, wiping his mouth with his napkin. “I’ve got time to whip you in a game before I go check on the barn.”

“On the other hand, I wouldn’t mind a game of chess, Adam,” Hoss smiled. “That is, if’n you still remember how to play.”

“Set up the board, my man,” Adam replied, pushing his chair back.

Ben stayed in his spot for a moment, watching the scene unfold in the sitting room. Joe and Candy bantered back and forth while they set up the checker board on the table near the fire, and Hoss and Adam did the same as they arranged their pieces on the board by the bottom of the stairs. It was nice having them all together, he thought to himself with a small smile. Once both matches were underway, he picked up a book and joined them in the next room, settling himself into his favourite red leather chair.

********
As the days went by, it was almost as though he’d never left. Adam fell back into the routine of ranch life easily, perhaps proving that one could never really leave something that was such a big part of himself.

One morning at breakfast, the men were discussing their various duties for the day. “Candy and I’ll patch that section of roof in the barn first,” Joe announced, taking a sip of his coffee. “Then we’ll go check on the herd. This time of year, there’s a lot of cougars coming down from the mountain.”

Adam contemplated the situation for a moment. “Tell you what,” he suggested, getting everyone’s attention. “Why don’t I help you with the roof and the herd and Candy can go with Hoss into town?”

Joe looked blankly at Adam, then at Candy. “Why?” he shrugged.

“I just don’t feel like going into town today,” Adam admitted. “You wouldn’t mind, would you, Candy?” he asked, one eyebrow raised slightly.

“No, I don’t mind,” Candy shrugged with a grin. “Last time I checked, there wasn’t a saloon on the barn roof. I’ll go into town with Hoss, not a problem.”

“Good,” Adam smiled. “Then I guess it’s settled.”

Joe offered a small smile but said nothing as he resumed his meal.

The job of repairing the roof went well. It wasn’t a major task and they were finished in less time than Adam had expected it to take. “That was quick,” he surmised, wiping his brow with the sleeve of his shirt.

“Yeah,” Joe agreed. “If we go check on that herd now, we’ll never be back in time for lunch. I’ll ask Hop Sing to pack us something.”

“Or we could just wait until after lunch,” Adam suggested.

“Why would we do that?” Joe frowned slightly. “Hoss and Candy are probably eating in town anyway, and Pa won’t be back from Carson City until closer to dinner time.”

“Probably,” Adam agreed. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t have lunch here, does it?”

“I guess not,” Joe admitted with a small smile.

“Maybe it’ll give us some time to talk,” Adam continued as he took a ladle of water from the barrel. “I’ve been home almost a week and we haven’t said more than a few words to one another.”

“What did you want to talk about?” Joe asked, not looking up as he packed up the tools they’d been using.

“Can’t brothers just talk without having a pre-approved topic of conversation?” Adam asked quietly.

Joe looked up in slight surprise at the tone. “They should be able to,” he agreed, getting to his feet, his gaze locking with that of his brother’s. “But that’s never really been the case with us, has it? Did you expect things to change?”

“No, but then again, I didn’t expect to come home and find I’d been replaced, either,” Adam replied tersely. He hadn’t intended to speak the words, but found himself unable to halt them in the face of his brother’s challenge.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Joe asked, frowning.

Adam ran a hand through his hair in frustration, taking a moment to choose his words carefully. “Look, Joe,” he finally began. “I didn’t intend to start anything with you. I just… well, I guess I did expect things to be different. Not necessarily better than they were, but different than they are.”

Joe considered the words before allowing a wry smile. “Well, I guess we don’t always get everything we expect, do we?” he asked in a flat tone.

“That’s about the hundredth time this week that I’ve got the impression you’re trying not to say something. If you’ve got a problem with me, why don’t you just come out with it?” Adam grated.

Joe looked as though he was going to do just that, but then shook his head slightly. “What’s the use,” he murmured.

“What’s the matter?” Adam taunted. “Can’t talk to me, your own brother? Maybe we need Candy here to mediate, is that it?” His voice rose as his frustration mounted. “Maybe deep down you wish he was your brother!”

“I didn’t say that,” Joe retorted, his eyes flashing green with anger. “But you’re the one who chose to leave, Adam,” he accused angrily. “Candy’s a part of this family because he chooses to be. He wants to be here.”

“And regardless of that fact, I’m still your brother, not him,” Adam pointed out, his anger matching that of his brother. “Whether you like it or not.”

“Yeah,” Joe answered flatly, though his eyes still burned with barely controlled rage. “I’m well aware of that.” Without another word, he turned and strode angrily toward the house.

Angry with himself for losing his temper, Adam slammed his hand hard on the top rail of the corral. “Damn,” he hissed. Taking a deep breath, he struggled to think of a way to mend the rift he’d created between them. After allowing his temper to cool, he put away the tools and headed for the house.

Hop Sing was removing one of the two place settings from the table when he entered. “Where’s Joe?” he asked.

“Mista Joe upstairs,” Hop Sing informed him with a small frown. “Upset with Mista Adam. Say he no want lunch here. Ask Hop Sing to pack lunch instead.”

“I know the feeling,” Adam sighed. “I’m rather upset with Mista Adam myself.” Deciding on a course of action, he added, “Could you make that two lunches, Hop Sing? I’m going with Joe.”

Hop Sing began clearing the remaining place setting. “Everybody go,” he mumbled to himself. “Nobody stay. Everybody upset.”

“I promise, everyone will be here for dinner, OK?” Adam tried to soothe the cook’s ruffled feathers.

Since Hop Sing’s answer was in Chinese, Adam had no way of telling what it was. Knowing that Hop Sing probably wanted to keep it that way, he didn’t bother trying to figure it out, but rather headed for the stairs and Joe’s room. He didn’t make it far, however, as Joe passed him on the landing.

“I think we need to talk,” Adam stated calmly as Joe brushed by him.

“I’ve got work to do,” Joe replied without turning around.

“Fine,” Adam agreed, raising a hand as though in surrender. “But I’m still going with you.”

“I can do it myself,” Joe retorted.

“You heard Pa,” Adam reminded him. “He wants two of us up there in case the cougar situation is worse than we think.”

“Suit yourself,” Joe answered nonchalantly as he took the pack Hop Sing had readied.

“I’ll do that,” Adam sighed to himself though his brother was already out the door.

They rode in relative silence, Joe only answering direct questions and with the shortest answers possible. Adam knew his little brother well enough to know that he was still angry and that only time would aid him in getting over it. With a wry smile, he reflected on how some things never seemed to change. No, Joe’s temper came as nothing new to him, but this reticent attitude, the refusal to lash out with whatever was on his mind was something new… and something that worried him more than he wanted to admit.

They’d been in high country only a short time when they caught sight of their first cat. “Circle around from that way,” Joe suggested, his stoic demeanour having been replaced with a knowledgeable confidence. “I’ll go up from here and we should be able to get him before he disappears into those rocks.”

“Right,” Adam nodded, already heading in the direction Joe had indicated. Once he’d circled around and climbed the rocky ledge, he caught sight of a flash of tan fur. Raising his rifle, he quickly looked around to gauge Joe’s position and seeing that his brother was well outside the line of fire, he took the shot. The cat went down in an instant and Adam turned to Joe with a guardedly triumphant smile. Even more rewarding than knowing he’d killed the predator was seeing his brother return the smile. As he turned back toward the dead cat, he heard the sound of a wild growl. Before his mind was able to pinpoint the location, the second feline pounced, knocking him to the ground as they rolled together, a tangled mass of black and beige.

“Adam!” Joe shouted, watching in horror as the cat seemed to come out of nowhere. Aiming carefully, he fired at the ball of fur as it poised atop his brother, teeth bared. Even as he saw the cat’s lithe body go limp, he heard a low rumble. Looking up, he saw an assortment of rocks skidding down the incline toward them, likely loosened by the shockwave of sound his shot had initiated.

“Look out!” he shouted, grabbing Adam’s collar and trying to pull him out of the way. As the first of the smaller rocks hit, he found himself praying that something would stop the larger boulders before they were crushed into oblivion.

Though it seemed like an eternity, the rockslide lasted less than a minute. Once it was over, Joe tried to move, only to find his legs pinned by a large rock. Blinking against the dust in the air, he called for his brother, only to be answered by an eerie silence. After struggling in vain to free himself, he managed to twist enough to see Adam laying unconscious only a few feet away. Stretching one arm, he was able to reach his brother and he closed his eyes in silent relief that he was still alive. “Adam,” he prodded, trying to elicit a response. “Adam, can you hear me?” A low moan was his only answer, but it was one that filled him with hope. “We’re going to get out of here,” he murmured, laying back against the rocky ground as he tried to figure out a way to keep his promise. After struggling a few more minutes against the rock that pinned him, he gave up and called out to his brother once again. This time, there was no sound at all and panic filled Joe’s mind. Reaching back, he felt for a pulse and was relieved to feel that it was still fairly strong. Reluctantly, he resigned himself to the fact that they’d have to wait for someone to free them.

“I’m sorry, Adam,” Joe offered, unsure whether or not his brother could hear the words. “About earlier. I didn’t mean it…” His voice trailed off as tears began to well in his eyes. “I’ve never regretted having you for a brother, not for a second.” He stopped for a moment to consider his feelings. “When you said you were leaving, a part of me didn’t think you’d really go. I couldn’t understand why you’d want to leave here.” He allowed a small smile as the first tear made its way down his cheek. “I remember when Ma died. You said you’d always be there for me.” After a moment, he added, “And you were; I was just too stubborn to admit it at times.” He allowed his mind to wander into the past. “Maybe if I’d made your job a little easier, you might have stayed, I don’t know.”

“I didn’t leave you, Joe,” came a voice laced with pain.

“Adam!” Joe exclaimed, turning to see his brother’s face. The eyes were closed tightly and the mouth was pulled into a painful grimace, but it was one of the nicest sights he’d seen in a long time. “You gave me quite a scare,” he smiled in relief.

“I’m still here,” Adam assured him as he tried unsuccessfully to move. “And it looks like I will be for a while. My arm’s caught.”

“Rockslide,” Joe informed him. “I must have triggered it when I shot at that cat.”

“Are you all right?” Adam asked, trying to swallow the painful gasp that rose in his throat.

“I can’t move either,” Joe replied, “But I don’t think anything’s broken. We’re going to have to wait for help.”

“Think anyone will find us here?” Adam asked, more to keep his mind off the pain than because he expected an answer.

“Are you kidding me?” Joe joked quietly. “Between Hoss and Candy, I can’t think of two better trackers. They know where we were headed. They’ll find us.”

There was silence for a moment before Adam spoke again. “You weren’t the reason I left, Joe,” he stated quietly. “In fact, it was you and Hoss and Pa that kept me here all these years. Leaving the Ponderosa was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”

Joe considered the words for a moment. “I always thought you were happy here.”

“I was,” Adam acknowledged. “But I’ve always felt there was a part of me that was meant to travel.” His voice grew increasingly strained, his breathing laboured, yet still he continued, feeling a strong need to explain. “After a while, I just couldn’t fight it any longer. I had to see new things, meet new people.”

“I guess maybe I’ll never really understand it,” Joe admitted. “This is the only home I’ve ever known.”

His words were met with silence and he craned his neck to look in his brother’s direction. To his dismay, he noted that Adam was once again unconscious. The rock that had his arm pinned was also pressing on his chest and Joe feared that it might be restricting his lung capacity. “Hold on, brother,” he murmured quietly. “Just hold on.”

**********

Hoss and Candy had been home for nearly an hour when Ben arrived. “Adam and Little Joe not back yet?” he asked, noticing that their horses were missing from their stalls.

“Not yet,” Hoss replied. “Maybe there’s more cougars up there than we reckoned.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Ben agreed, frowning. “Let’s just hope there’s not too many. We can’t afford to lose many more cattle to those cats.”

“If there are cougars up there, they’ll get ‘em,” Candy smiled in reassurance.

Hop Sing joined them then, his expression one of concern. “Mista Joe and Mista Adam gone a long time,” he pointed out. “Took lunch on horse. Mista Joe upset with Mista Adam. Mista Adam upset with Mista Adam.”

“Don’t you mean Mister Adam was upset with Little Joe?” Hoss corrected with an amused grin.

“No,” Hop Sing shook his head adamantly. “Mista Adam say he upset with Mista Adam. Not very happy boys when they leave.”

“Is that so,” Ben mused, his frown deepening.

“Ah, you know them two, Pa,” Hoss tried to reassure his father. “They wouldn’t be Adam and Little Joe if’n they wasn’t arguin’ ‘bout one thing or ‘nother. It don’t mean nothin’.”

“Maybe not,” Ben agreed thoughtfully. “But if they left before lunch, they should be back by now.”

“Want me to take a ride out there?” Candy offered. “I know the spot where Joe was planning to go.”

“I think we’d all better take a ride out there,” Ben affirmed with a tone of authority.

Without further discussion, they saddled their horses and headed out.

**********

When they reached the area Candy had led them to, there was no sign of the missing men. “We’d better split up,” Ben suggested. “Keep your eyes open for anything. If you find them, fire two shots.”

“Right, Pa,” Hoss nodded, heading out in one direction while Candy went off in the other.

Ben surveyed the landscape for a moment, squinting to scan the rocky terrain. “If you’re out here, we’ll find you,” he promised in a low voice before prodding Buck forward.

**********

“…or the time we got into all that trouble up at Widow’s Glen?” Joe said tiredly. He’d been talking for what seemed like hours, hoping that some of what he was saying was getting through. “Pa was madder than a wet hen at that one.”

“What do you mean ‘we’?” Adam replied groggily. “I was just there to keep you two out of trouble.”

Joe closed his eyes in a silent prayer of relief. “I wasn’t sure you could still hear me,” he admitted.

“Can hear fine,” Adam countered haltingly. “Just can’t talk much. Can’t breathe.”

“That rock just might come in handy the next time you want to lecture me about something,” Joe teased, trying to keep his brother’s spirits up.

“Wouldn’t stop me,” Adam managed. “Would just take longer.”

Joe allowed a small chuckle. “Yeah, you’re probably right,” he allowed. His head turned slightly as he thought he heard a noise. As the sound got closer, he was able to identify it as hoofbeats. “Over here!” he called, mustering all the strength he could. “We’re over here!”

In a matter of minutes, Candy reached them. “Hey,” he grinned down at Joe, surveying the situation. “What’s the big idea laying down on the job?”

“Help Adam,” Joe instructed. “He’s hurt bad and that rock is crushing his chest.”

Candy made his way instantly to where Adam lay. “Anything broken?” he asked, frowning slightly as he saw the size of the rock that was causing the problem.

“Couple of ribs,” Adam struggled to reply. “Don’t know about the arm.”

“Take it easy,” Candy soothed. “We’ll have you out of there in no time.”

He’d scrambled back to Joe’s position and had taken his gun out of its holster when Joe stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Don’t shoot,” he cautioned. “That’s what caused the first slide.”

Candy looked back at where Adam lay. If that large rock shifted even a few more inches, it could crush the life from him before anyone could do anything. “I have to get your Pa and Hoss,” Candy explained. “I can’t move it by myself. I’ll go a safe enough distance away and signal for them.”

“Right,” Joe nodded. With a small smile, he added, “Hurry back, will ya?”

“You bet, buddy,” Candy grinned, squeezing Joe’s shoulder briefly before hurrying down the way he’d come.

Joe heard the two shots and a moment later Candy was back, a canteen in his hands. Without stopping at Joe’s position, he made his way to where Adam waited for rescue.

“Try to drink some of this,” he coaxed, gently lifting Adam’s head just enough to reach the canteen.

Adam drank a little and reclined once again. “Thanks,” he murmured.

Candy didn’t answer, but went to Joe and offered him the canteen. Joe was able to drink unassisted and Candy took the opportunity to remove his hat and wipe his brow. Looking around at the rocks that would need to be moved, he shook his head slightly. “When you Cartwrights do something, you never go half way, do ya?”

Hoss and Ben arrived in a matter of moments and began the painstaking task of freeing the trapped men. Though Joe insisted that they help Adam first, Ben explained that they had to get Joe out of the way in order to do so. Reluctantly, Joe agreed and prepared to pull his legs out the minute Hoss and Candy were able to pry the boulder up enough. Once free, he allowed his father to inspect his injuries while the other two hurried to help his oldest brother.

“Nothing broken,” Ben surmised after a quick inspection. “But that ankle is going to be sore for a while.”

“I’ll be fine,” Joe assured him, finally able to move to where his brother lay. “Be careful,” he instructed as Candy and Hoss worked to inch the rock away. “He got jumped by a cat just before the slide.”

As soon as they’d managed to lift it far enough, Hoss nodded at Ben and Joe. “Get him outta there,” he instructed. “We can’t hold it too long.”

Quickly, Ben and Joe pulled Adam’s body out of the danger zone and began to check him over while Candy and Hoss slowly lowered the boulder into a resting position.

“How is he, Pa?” Hoss asked as they came to join them.

“He’ll be all right,” Ben nodded. “A few broken ribs and I think his shoulder is dislocated, but I can’t see any signs of that cat attack.”

Adam took as large a breath as the painful ribs would allow. “He didn’t get a chance to get his teeth into me,” he managed with a small smile. “Thanks to my little brother, here.”

“He’s still going to need a doctor,” Ben pointed out grimly. “We’ll get him on a horse and head back to the house. Candy, ride into town and get the doctor, will you?”

“Right,” Candy nodded, turning away to head for his horse.

“Candy?” Adam called quietly, causing the other man to turn back with an expectant expression.

“Thanks,” Adam continued with a small smile.

Candy returned the smile along with a slight nod before resuming his task.

Once he was gone, Adam allowed Ben and Hoss to help him to his feet. “Next time,” he grimaced to Hoss as they slowly made their way toward the horses. “I’ll go into town and you can go hunting the cougars.”

“You got yerself a deal there, brother,” Hoss chuckled.

**********

Once the doctor had finished with Adam and left the room, Joe came in, limping heavily on one leg. “How you feeling?” he asked.

“Better,” Adam replied, shifting his position slightly and frowning at the pain the movement caused. “About a lot of things.”

“What do you mean?” Joe frowned slightly, lowering himself into a chair beside the bed.

“I was a fool, Joe,” Adam admitted quietly. “I came home and saw Candy here and thought…” He paused for a moment. “Well, I guess I thought he’d taken my place. That you didn’t need me here, or really want me for that matter.”

“That’s crazy,” Joe assured him. “You’re my brother Adam.” With a teasing smile, he added, “Whether I like it or not, remember?”

Adam grimaced and Joe wasn’t sure if it was the pain in his ribs or the reminder of the conversation they’d had in the yard. “Yeah,” he breathed. “I remember. I’m sorry about that, Joe.”

Joe’s expression took on a more solemn nature. “Me too,” he offered. “I was so angry with you when you left. I thought I was over it, but when you came back I guess it did too.”

“Angry?” Adam replied with a thin smile. “I would have thought you’d be glad to be rid of me. You always thought I lectured too much, from what I recall.”

“It’s funny how your perspective changes,” Joe mused. “You were just trying to keep me in line. After you left, I saw that so much more clearly than I ever did while you were here. You know what they say, you never know how much you’ll miss something until it’s gone.”

“In that case,” Adam grinned, a teasing twinkle in his eye. “Before I leave, I’ll write down a whole mess of lectures that you can refer to whenever the need arises.”

“Sounds good,” Joe smiled warmly. “I’d better go and let you get some rest.”

**********

The weeks passed quickly and before any of them knew it, it was time for Adam’s departure. As the stage rode up to the station, each of them realized they couldn’t put it off any longer.

“I’ll miss you, son,” Ben whispered, his throat choked with emotion as he hugged his eldest child.

“Me, too, Pa,” Adam replied, returning the hug. “I’ll write every week.”

Turning to Hoss, he grinned. “Guess you’re back to being the big brother for a while.”

“I can handle it,” Hoss smiled, grabbing Adam in a bear hug. “After all, I had myself the best teacher.”

Once Hoss had released him, he turned to Joe. “I think these belong to you,” he stated with a sly wink. Joe took the envelope and removed the pages inside. As he read the first few lines of his brother’s neat handwriting, his face broke into a broad smile.

“Thanks,” he grinned, shaking Adam’s hand. “I’m sure they’ll come in handy.”

“I’m sure they will, too,” Adam replied, mustering his sternest expression. “Come here.”

To Joe’s surprise, Adam pulled him into a fierce hug, one he returned with a strange sense of pride.

Having said goodbye to his family, Adam turned to Candy with a smile. “I never thought I’d have another brother,” he stated. Glancing sideways at Hoss and Joe, he raised one eyebrow. “Or want one for that matter,” he teased. “But after getting to know you, I realize you’re as close as any of us are likely to come. I’m glad you’re here. Keep an eye on them, will you?”

“You can count on it,” Candy grinned, shaking Adam’s hand. “Take care.”

Adam took one last look around the town before boarding the stage for his long journey. As he looked out the small window at the four men, he realized how absurd his earlier thoughts had been. He’d never be replaced in their hearts, just as they could never be replaced in his.

The End.