Ben sat at his desk eagerly trying to accomplish needed tasks without the least bit of distraction, but it was impossible. His worry for all three of his boys was too increasingly strong to think of anything else. Even his unavoidable hatred for the man who almost ruined all of their lives was like a cloud that hung over him every time he saw the pain in each of their eyes. All of them were hurt in different ways, but one thing about it was the same; the man who caused that pain was Red Twilight.

For Hoss, the cause of the pain was easily determined. Not only had he been grief stricken for the longest time over the accidental death of Red’s brother, Willie, but then this man, this horrible man, decided to take his vengeance out on Hoss by shooting in the back! The coward! Hoss had never even seen it coming. He had gone out to think for himself and sort out his guilt and Red Twilight shot him in the back! Hoss had no reason to feel guilty, not to mention be blamed by anyone else. He was just that type of person who took it upon himself to carry the blame.

For Joe, the cause of the pain was emotional. That poor boy loved his brother, Hoss, so much that he was willing to risk it all just to avenge his brother’s attempted murderer. He’d made a promise to Hoss and he had vowed to keep it. He wanted to kill Red Twilight for possibly killing his brother. If it hadn’t been for Adam, he probably would have.

Then there was Adam’s pain. Adam, the one who always was able to hold the world on his shoulders and never even flinch. The hurt in his eyes was evident after Hoss was shot. Then he held it upon himself to find Joe when he went after Twilight. As if that could get worse, Twilight shot Adam right in the side of the head. The boy was lucky to be alive!

The more Ben thought of the pain his boys were feeling, the more painful it got for him. He wanted so much to be able to focus on the positive like the fact that Hoss was up and about now and Twilight was in jail. Just jail? Ben couldn’t understand why that man wasn’t in prison or even been hanged! As much as he hated to wish it on anyone, he couldn’t help but feel that the only way his boys were truly safe was if Red Twilight were hanged! That’s all there was to it.

Ben was awoken from his trance by the sound of the door opening and the familiar call of “Pa?”.

It didn’t take him long to know that the voice that had called him belonged to Hoss.

“In here, son.” He replied.

“Oh there you are, Pa. Hey ah, have you seen Little Joe by any change lately?” Hoss asked.

“No, I’m afraid I haven’t seen him since breakfast. Hoss, is there something wrong?” Ben was a bit worried now.

He could always tell it in his two other son’s voices when they were worried about Little Joe and that southern boy temper of his.

“Nah, Pa I just thought it might be a good idea to find him and tell him before someone else does.” Hoss sat down next to Ben’s desk.

“Before he finds out about what?” Now Ben was very worried.

“That Red Twilight won’t be gettin’ the book thrown at him as soon as we all thought.” Hoss sighed.

“Hoss?”

“Well, Pa it’s like this. Judge Harrison is bein’ held back in Placerville for at least another week and won’t be able to make it here on time.” Hoss explained.

“Wait just a minute! What the devil could be so important in Placerville that he can’t make it here in time? Red Twilight is an attempted murderer! He can’t just sit in jail while the judge takes his sweet time getting here!” Ben exploded.

“Now Pa, I know you ain’t happy ‘bout this. Neither am I but it’s just the way it is. Anyway, I’m worried ‘bout how Little Joe’s gonna take it that Twilight gets to sit in jail for another week before his trial.

“I still can’t believe that they couldn’t get another judge to fill in so we could still have the trial on time!” Ben protested.

“I know, Pa but back to the real problem. Little Joe ain’t gonna like this none at all! I don’t want him findin’ out from them trouble starters in town neither. So, if you see him, can ya tell him that I wanna talk to him?” Hoss asked.

“Of course, son but are you sure that you oughtta be the one to explain this? Wouldn’t it be easier coming from me?” Ben offered.

“Well Pa I’d just as soon have it come from me if it’s all the same to you because I’m the one he might listen to about not goin’ and doin’ somethin’ foolish like tryin’ to see Red Twilight.  Hoss reasoned.

Ben nodded his head as if to say he understood and Hoss nodded his head in thanks before heading out the door again. Moments later Ben was back in his previous trance but this time he had much more to think about. How was Joe going to handle this news? Or did he already know?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Joe, now are you sure you want to do this? Does your Pa even know you’re here?”Roy Coffee asked, trying to talk some sense into the hot-headed Cartwright before matters got worse than they already were.

“Yeah Roy, I’m sure. I want to see Red Twilight. Don’t worry, I can’t hurt him. As long as he’s in that cell away from my family, I won’t.”

Roy reluctantly went and unlocked the back door to where the cell was. There, right before Joe’s hating eyes, was Red Twilight sitting on his bed. He immediately got up when he saw Joe glaring at him from outside his cell.

“Well if it isn’t the little hero of the Cartwright clan. What are you here for? You gonna shake a gun at me again? No, you wouldn’t do that with the sheriff right there. You are there, aren’t you sheriff? You won’t let little hero here wave his widdle gun at me will ya?” Twilight taunted.

Roy ignored Twilight and looked to Joe.

“Don’t stay too long okay? It’s not good for you to hang around him more than you have to. Oh, and don’t let him get to you ok? He can’t hurt you anymore.” Roy patted Joe’s back.

With that, he went to his desk, still watching through the crack in the door to make sure that Joe didn’t make any sudden rash moves.

“So, now that we have some privacy, what is it you want, hero?” Twilight asked wearing that same smirk that he seemed to always wear. The same one that made Joe’s skin crawl and his blood boil with pure hatred.

“I just came to make sure that you are still here and miserable.” Joe said.

“Oh I’m here alright, hero, but I am the farthest thing from miserable. Do ya wanna know why? Come a little closer and I’ll tell ya. I’m doin’ just fine because I know that I’m gonna get outta here soon and I’ll be a free man again. And do you know what I’m gonna do when I get outta here?”,He lowered his voice down to a whisper, “I’m gonna get that brother of yours and I’m gonna kill him.”

“You come near Hoss and I’ll do what I shoulda done when I last had the chance!” Joe promised.

At that moment, Red Twilight broke out in roaring laughter. He laughed so hard that he looked crazy.

“What’s so funny?” Joe asked, angrily.

Meanwhile, in the front of Roy’s office, he was sitting at his desk when the door opened.

“Oh, well good mornin’, Adam!” Roy said, cheerfully.

“Mornin’ Roy. I got your mail on the way here and I thought I’d bring it to ya.” Adam explained.

“Now ain’t that just thoughtful of you. Thank you, Adam. Ya know, I figured you were here to pick up Little Joe.” Roy laughed.

“Little Joe’s here? Well what’s he doin’ here?” Adam asked, puzzled.

“Oh, you didn’t know? Yea he came here to see”-

Just then they both heard a noise coming from Red Twilight’s cell. The two men rushed in to find Joe with both hands wrapped around his neck through the bars. Twilight just continued to laugh throughout the whole episode.

Adam quickly grabbled a hold of Joe and tried to pull him off of Twilight. Roy turned around the other side of Joe to do the same thing. Finally, after what had seemed like an eternity, Joe loosened his grip.

“He’s not worth it. Just leave him alone. ” Adam said while rubbing Joe’s back.

“Are you alright, Joe?” Roy asked.

“Is he ok? What about me? I’m the one he nearly choked to death!” Twilight complained.

“Yeah, and I really wish he had.” Roy whispered to Adam.

Just then, Twilight looked up at Adam as if he just now realized that he was there.

“You!” He said. For the first time, it actually seemed like someone could make him mad.

“Yes, Twilight, me.” Adam replied.

“Adam, you should take Little Joe out of here now.” Roy suggested.

“Wonderful idea. Come on Joe.” Adam said with his arm around Joe.

“You know I’m pressing charges right, sheriff?” Twilight snickered.

“Oh no you’re not! You just be glad he can’t press charges against you for taunting him. You asked for it. It must not have hurt too much, after all, you were laughing the entire time weren’t you?” Roy said, putting him in his place.

By now, Joe and Adam were in the buckboard. Neither said a word until Adam finally broke the silence.

“I supposed you would like me not to tell Pa about this.” He said.

“Is that gonna stop ya from doing it?” Joe asked, snippily.

“Well that depends. If you give me a good enough reason why I shouldn’t then maybe I might not.” Adam bargained.

“Really?” Joe asked, surprised.

“Yeah, really. So start talking. You got ten seconds.” Adam speeded.

“Now what am I gonna tell ya in ten seconds that’s gonna convince you not to tell Pa.” Joe asked.

“You would be surprised.” Adam promised.

“I couldn’t take it anymore. He was taunting me about Hoss and threatenin’ me that when he gets out, he’s gonna go after Hoss again and I snapped.

“I know you hate him, Joe. I do too. I mean, he tried to kill our brother, but like I told ya before, ya can’t kill him! You can’t let him get to you enough to hurt him because it’s exactly what he wants.” Adam advised.

“That’s what Roy said; Adam, but I couldn’t help it. What if he gets out and does what he said he would do? Then what?” Joe worried.

Adam halted the buckboard in a small clearing in the woods of the Ponderosa where they could talk in private. Then he turned to face his younger brother.

“Joe, even if by some amazing happening he did get out, he couldn’t hurt Hoss again.” He said.

“Yeah, and what makes you so sure?” Joe asked.

Adam looked Joe straight in the eye. Joe noticed that shade of gray that was in his older brother’s eyes and knew instantly that it meant that he was about to say something that he meant with his whole heart.

“Because I won’t let him!” Adam answered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night at dinner, Joe was quiet. That didn’t surprise Ben because he had been that way for a while now. He noticed too; however that Adam seemed to be keeping a watchful eye on him more so than usual. He quickly brushed it off as Adam’s over protectiveness and forgot about it. On the other hand though, Hoss did not let it go so easily. He knew his older brother well enough by now to know the difference between Adam’s natural over protectiveness and the one he had when he had a real reason to be. There was something going on. Hoss just wondered if it happened to be that Adam and Joe had heard the town talk too.

“Hey Adam, what was it like in town today?” Hoss asked.

At first, Adam looked as if he wasn’t quite sure of how to answer this question let alone what it meant.

“Ah, it was the same as it usually is, Hoss. Why?”

“Oh no reason? Were you able to keep Joe out of trouble?” Hoss laughed.

Joe looked up from his plate and looked straight into Adam’s eyes because he knew what his brother was thinking. He was pondering whether to rat him out or not. He looked at Adam with pleading eyes that promised to do his brother’s bidding forever if he would just keep this one secret for him.

Joe’s premonition had been precise to the point. Adam was debating telling the truth of the day’s rowdy events but he took one look into Joe’s puppy dog eyes and was changed on a dime.

“Oh you know how it is with Joe. I had to pull him away from a poker game or two and then I had to keep the devil from the girls in the Bucket of Blood but other than that, he was an angel.” Adam joked.

The room was filled with laughter at that point and Joe was filled with unexpected gratitude toward his oldest brother. He decided it wasn’t a good idea to leave his gratitude unsaid. After dinner, they four went their separate ways as they usually did. Hoss and Ben engaged in a game of chess and Adam announced that he was going to bed.

Joe trotted a bit to catch up to Adam at the foot of the stairs. He lightly nudged Adam’s arm.

“Thank you.” He said.

“Well, for a moment there I thought you were about to chew me out for that crack about you and your poker games.” Adam laughed.

Joe smiled and took this as Adam’s way of saying you’re welcome. The two soon parted ways until morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Mornin’ Ben.” Roy Coffee shook Ben’s hand the next morning when Ben went to check on how things were going. He still had no idea that his boys had done the same the day before.

“Mornin’, Roy. I just thought I’d stop in and check up on things.” Ben said.

“Hey, is that you, ol’ man Cartwright?” Twilight yelled.

“Oh, shut up in there Twilight!” Roy yelled.

As he usually did, Red Twilight just ignored the sheriff because there was something he wanted Ben Cartwright to know.

“Hey ‘ol man Cartwright, I hope you whipped your boy good for what he done to me yesterday!”

Ben looked at Roy who he could tell was nervous and hiding something.

“What’s he talkin’ about, Roy?” Ben asked.

“You mean you didn’t tell him that his little brat dang near choked me to death yesterday?” Twilight exclaimed.

“He did what!” Ben was furious.

“Now, Ben you know you can’t believe a word that comes out of this man’s mouth! And besides, how would you know which son he’s talking about?”

“Oh I know which one it was and I know it happened because he’s got marks on his neck! Roy, how could you let Joseph do something like that? Why the devil did you even let Joe in to see him?” Ben yelled.

“Wow, ol’ man, you’re smart. You got it right on the money guessin’ which one of your boys did it.” Twilight laughed.

“I admit Ben, maybe lettin’ Joe see him may not have been the best thing but-

“May not have been the best thing? Roy, Joe could have killed him and believe me, that scum is not worth the life of my son. Any of them!” With that, Ben stormed out of Roy’s office.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When he got home, Joe was alone in the great room. Just like he wanted.

“Joseph, can I talk to you for a moment?” He said with a low, sternness in his voice.

“Sure pa, what’s goin’ on?” Joe asked, acting rather giddy.

“Joseph, when you and Adam were in town yesterday, where did you go after you got the supplies?” Ben asked.

“Oh well we didn’t go anywhere else, pa.” Joe lied.

“Are you sure? You didn’t go and visit Red Twilight in jail?”

Joe’s face turned white as a sheet.

“Adam swore he wouldn’t say anything.” Joe muttered.

“I didn’t find this out from your brother. I found this out from Red Twilight himself.” Ben informed.

“How did he tell you? He’s in jail, isn’t he?” Joe asked, worried.

“I went to visit with Roy this morning and Twilight informed me of your little visit when he saw me. I wouldn’t have believed him had it not been for the marks on his neck.”

Joe hung his head in shame to his father.

“Pa, I’m sorry. I just had to see him and make sure for myself that he was still there. If he hadn’t threatened Hoss again, I wouldn’t have lost it on him.” Joe tried to defend himself.

“Where was Adam at the time of all this?” Ben asked.

“We had separated for a while to get more things done. He didn’t know I was there until he came to give Roy his mail and saw me chocking Twilight.” Joe said, in a half sob.

“Well, I’m certainly glad he did. If he hadn’t you would’ve probably killed Twilight.” Ben gowned.

“Would that have been such a bad thing?” Joe muttered, thinking Ben hadn’t heard him.

“As a matter of fact, yes it would have because you would have been hung and he would have gotten the easy way out. Furthermore, instead of Twilight looking like the bad guy, you would have looked like the bad guy and he would have looked like a blameless saint!”

“Face it Pa, this whole town already thinks he’s a blameless saint!

“Son, you have to stop letting what others think get to you! It just doesn’t matter!” Ben advised.

“It matters if what they think is enough for him to go free and kill my brother!” Joe screeched.

“Son, try to stay out of trouble until the trial! What you have pulled here today is already enough for his lawyer to use against us! Please, don’t add to it.”

“Yeah, at least I can count on all this being over in less than a week now, right?” Joe said.

Ben paused.

“Son, I need to tell you something.” Ben said, sadly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night, Roy had been relieved by a deputy so he could make his rounds of the town. The deputy went to Twilights cell to make sure it was locked tight. Now, this particular deputy was never credited to being the smartest tool in the shed. In fact, he was no better than a plastic shovel.

“Hey you, c’mere for a minute.” Twilight called.

“What do ya want now?” The deputy asked.

“No, you gotta come closer. I wanna show ya somethin'”

The deputy came up to the bars.

“What is it?”

Twilight slowly and quietly grabbed the keys and gun from the deputy’s belt at that moment.

“Well what is it that ya wanna show me so bad?” The deputy asked again.

“Ah, just forget it!” Twilight moaned.

“Whatever you say.”

The deputy walked back into the main office.

Red Twilight smiled in satisfied pleasure with himself.

He waited for about ten minutes to make his move. He unlocked his cell and headed out to where the deputy was sleeping in Roy’s chair. At first, he thought he might be able to slip right out of there without waking the sleeping deputy, but just as he was almost out the door-

“Hey, you get back here! How did you get out?”

The deputy followed him out the door. Twilight took a shot at him and hit him in the leg.

Of course, upon hearing the shot, half the town came running to the deputy’s side. By the time they got close enough to see Twilight, he had taken the deputy’s horse and was gone. The deputy was rushed to the doc’s house where he was treated for a minor wound.

“How could you have let this happen, Jake?” Roy asked, furious when he was informed of the night’s fast-paced events.

“He was just so fast that I didn’t even know he had gotten out!” Jake the deputy said.

“You mean you were asleep again right?” Doc guessed.

“Someone needs to ride out to the Ponderosa and warn Ben Cartwright about this! That’s probably where Twilight’s headed!” Roy urged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The three oldest Cartwright’s scattered around the house trying to make themselves prepared for what could come. They stayed pretty quiet however, trying not to wake Joe so that he would remain unaware of the fact that Twilight had escaped. But upstairs in Joe’s room, there was something going on that they didn’t know about.

Joe had been told time and time again not to use bed sheets to climb out of a window, but as usual, he wasn’t listening. Right now he was more concerned about making sure Red Twilight didn’t hurt his brother again.  Once out of the window, he carefully went to the barn to saddle up Cochise.

The barn was dark and quiet as Joe went to saddle up his horse, who was always willing to go for a ride with his master.

He turned upon hearing a voice behind him.

“Well now, doesn’t this scene seem familiar?”

Joe rolled his eyes.

“Adam, this time I go alone. I have something I have to do. What I should have done the last time but you stopped me!”

“Why can’t you just let the posse do its job? Look, Pa and I are on that posse and you need to stay here and watch Hoss. If Twilight comes here, then you get your chance at him. Sound fair?” Adam asked.

“So, if he gets here before you all can catch him, then he’s fair game to me?” Joe asked to clarify.

“Yes, that way it will be self-defense if you do have to kill him.” Adam said.

Joe took a deep breath.

“Alright.” He said, taking the saddle off of Cochise.

The two started back into the house.

“Joseph, what were you doing out there. Never mind, I know what you were doing out there! You can’t go and that’s final!” Ben said.

“He knows, Pa. I talked to him about it.” Adam said.

“Oh, I’m sorry Joseph. It’s just that it makes me nervous that Red Twilight is lose again.” Ben confessed.

“It’s alright, Pa. I know how you feel.” Joe said.

“Alright, Adam, let’s go.”

“Be careful, Pa and Adam.” Hoss pleaded.

Adam winked back at his brother to try and comfort him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Judging by these tracks, he seems to have gone north.” Roy observed.

“Right in the direction of my house.” Ben sighed.

“Pa, do you want me to go back and make sure that everything is ok at home?” Adam asked, seeing the worry in Ben’s eyes.

“Yeah, son, I think it might be a good idea. We won’t need you anymore.” Ben said.

Adam nodded and rode off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Checkmate!” Hoss shouted.

“Again! Ya know, at the rate you’ve been winnin’ I’m startin’ to think your might be cheatin’!” Joe whined.

“Ah Joe, you just- what was that noise?”

Before either of them could get another word, Red Twilight bursted in.

“Alright, hands up. Both of ya go over by that couch and sit there!” He demanded.

“You are makin’ a bold move comin’ here right now, Twilight.” Joe warned.

“I think you’re the one making the bold move, kid. I’m the fella with the gun!”

“Don’t hurt him, Twilight. I know what you want. Just do it and get it over with!” Hoss said.

“Hoss!” Joe yelled.

Twilight began to roar in laughter.

“What’s funny?” Hoss asked.

“You think I’m still interested in you?! Don’t you get it? I don’t want you anymore!”

Hoss and Joe looked at each other in confusion.

“Then what do you want?” Hoss asked slowly.

“I told you when I got outta that jail I was goin’ after that brother of yours!” Twilight said to Joe.

“Yeah, and I thought you meant Hoss. That’s why I told you to stay away from him.” Joe said.

“Why do you think I laughed at you?”

“Well, I just took for granted that you were crazy.” Joe said.

“So if it ain’t me you want, then who- Adam?” Hoss realized.

“That’s right. If it weren’t for him, I would have never gone to jail. I would have killed you and gotten away with it!”

“Adam saved your life if anything! He’s the only reason I didn’t kill you when I had the chance!” Joe said.

Then they all heard a horse ride up.

“Alright, both of you in the kitchen!” Twilight demanded.

A few minutes later, Adam walked in.

“Joe, Hoss? Everything alright?” He called.

Then Adam saw both his brothers come out with their hands over their heads. Twilight came after them.

“We meet again Cartwright. Now drop your gun or your bigger brother gets it!”

Adam stood there for a moment, stunned. Then he did like Twilight asked and dropped his gun.

“Good, now go stand by your brothers!”

“Adam, he ain’t after me anymore. He says he wants you.” Hoss warned.

“That’s right! I think you know why right Cartwright? After all, you do think you’re the smart one.”

“Well if you want me, then why don’t you just let the other two go?” Adam reasoned.

“Ha ha, nice try! You think I’d let those two go? For one, they’d go and get that posse and for another, then I wouldn’t have any way of making you suffer!”

“Not that I’m complaining, but why is it that you want me now and not Hoss?”

“Now are my ears deceiving me or does the great Adam Cartwright not know all the answers? I want you because if it hadn’t been for you, I’d still be free!”

“Yeah, how do ya figure?” Adam asked.

“He figures you’re the reason he got caught and didn’t get away with finishin’ me off” Hoss said, with an angry tone in his voice.

“Well, “Adam laughed, “then in that case, it was my pleasure!”

“If I were you I wouldn’t be so cocky! You’re bound to end up dead even faster that way!” Twilight warned.

“Well, if you’re gonna kill me anyway then what does it matter if you kill me now or when you feel like it?”

“Adam!” Joe muttered.

“Besides,” Adam continued, “That posse is gonna come back this way pretty soon. Now do you really wanna be here when they do?”

“You’re right. So, I’ll just go and take you as my hostage.” Twilight decided.

“No,” Hoss yelled, “If you want a hostage then take me. It was me you wanted in the beginnin’ and it’s still me you want now. It ain’t his fault that you didn’t get to finish me off in the beginnin’.”

“Yeah, but don’t you get it? It’s him I want now! He is the reason I didn’t get you!”

“But he also saved your life!” Joe added. “If it hadn’t been for him, I would have been more than happy to kill you!

“True. And yet, I still want him dead.”

“Well, I’m flattered “Adam said, “Unfortunately, you won’t get that chance any time soon!”

Adam grabbed the lamp on the table and threw it to make it dark enough to catch Twilight off guard.

Just as the lamp went out, Twilight’s gun went off.

The noise brought Ben and the rest of the posse through the front door. Ben turned on another lamp to see both Adam and Twilight on the floor. There was blood but Ben wasn’t sure at first where it was coming from.

“Adam, are you alright?!” He asked frantically.

Adam slowly got up and looked down to see that Twilight had gotten the bullet.

“He’s dead,” Adam said slowly.

“It’s okay son. It was self defense. Roy and the whole posse are here to vouch for that.” Ben put his hand on Adam’s shoulder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn’t hard for Adam to get up the next morning because he had been up all night. He slowly went down to breakfast where his family was up waiting for him.

“Mornin’ all.” He said.

“Good morning Adam.” They all greeted him.

Not much was said at breakfast on Adam’s part. The other three engaged in small talk conversations and Adam just listened.

Afterwards, they all went their separate ways to do the days chores. Joe and Hoss ended up working together and started talking as they watched Adam go into the barn.

“He sure does feel bad don’t he.” Hoss said.

“Yeah. I guess he just doesn’t realize that it would have happened anyway eventually. I mean I hate to say it, but Red Twilight was bound to meet that kind of an end one day.” Joe said.

The two looked at each other and walked into the barn. They walked up behind Adam.

“It wasn’t your fault ya know.” Hoss spoke up.

“Yeah, Adam. It was bound to happen one day.” Joe added.

Without turning around, Adam spoke.

“I know. I just wish it hadn’t happened that way. As much as I despised the man, I didn’t want to be the one to have to kill him. Sounds crazy I guess.”

“No it don’t! No one wants to have to kill anybody. No good person that is.” Hoss said.

“Hoss is right! You did what you had to do. If anything, you saved me from havin’ to do it.” Joe sighed.

“I reckon what we’re both tryin’ to say is, well, thanks Adam!” Hoss said.

Joe nodded his head in agreement.

“Thanks Adam.”

The three boys walked out of the barn together still talking. Meanwhile Ben watched out the window behind his desk as he often did. He smiled, knowing now that all of his worries were able to be put behind him now. His boys were gonna be alright. They were all three safe and happy. That was all Ben ever wanted for them.

THE END

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.