{"id":12031,"date":"2015-11-26T12:58:42","date_gmt":"2015-11-26T17:58:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12031"},"modified":"2025-08-01T13:29:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T17:29:13","slug":"love-wins-out-by-bluewindfarm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12031","title":{"rendered":"Love Wins Out (by BluewindFarm)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary<\/strong>: Missing scenes for The Truckee Strip.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 (1,345 words)<\/span><\/p>\n

Author’s Note:\u00a0 The idea for this story came during a BoNaNo Chat Sprint Writing session, having earlier in the day posted a ‘This Day in History’ for The Truckee Strip on Bonanza Brand’s Facebook page.\u00a0 No Beta, so all mistakes are mine.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Love Wins Out\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The words were out of his mouth, \u201cI thought you didn\u2019t want any more killing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam defended, \u201cNow, this wasn\u2019t Pa\u2019s fault!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWasn\u2019t it?\u201d he argued.<\/span><\/p>\n

How does one\u00a0justify that an employee of the Ponderosa had gone sick inside, all for fighting over a piece of land. Sure, fight for what\u2019s right, fight for what\u2019s yours. But to fight where innocent people are killed with no second thought and to write it off as not your fault?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Us against them. It was more than right versus wrong. Sure take, Trump to\u00a0the law, but there was more at stake; a dead boy should be\u00a0taken home, returned to his family. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Ben put his foot down.<\/span><\/p>\n

Times change, no longer was it us against the world. It was me against the world of Cartwright, pa and my brothers.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Drawing his gun was purely instinct. If he\u2019d given any thought to the effort, he would have froze long before metal cleared leather. Their eyes conveyed disappointment and disbelief. He\u2019d never seen that combination before. And the fact they were staring back at him, caused him to wince. But this was important; he had to take a stand. If only his brothers would understand, if only Ben would accept that he saw no other alternative.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe killings rubbed off on all of us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright Joe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

No, it wasn\u2019t!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

A boy was dead, and for what? A strip of land? <\/span>Egos<\/span>? For no other reason than someone wanted what wasn\u2019t theirs to take. When would everyone accept that the world could be a better place? When would the Truckee Strip return to being the life blood of the land, instead of a cause to spill blood on the land?<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Pa knew Trump had never been the same since Luther Bishop had shot him in the face, but still Pa hired him. Was that an explanation? It\u2019s not my fault?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA man buries his son by hisself,\u201d Lo Chow answered in response to Joe\u2019s offer to help.<\/span><\/p>\n

What if that had been me?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Twice in a matter of minutes those of the Concho had threatened to kill Joe. His first saving grace was Luther Bishop, second was an act of kindness. But the threats still remained, if he ever returned to see Amy or ride the Concho.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a lot more difficult to break up Amy and I than that Mr. Bishop.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Break up Amy and I, what about my family and me? <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Guilt ate at his conscience\u2026 he\u2019d done what he felt was right. He\u2019d taken a stand for his beliefs,\u00a0to prove that he still felt compassion.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

He was too young to remember when all the trouble originally started. He vaguely remembered loud voices whenever Hiram Woods came to talk, louder were the voices when the sheriff showed up to discuss the facts. Events settled after Adam returned from college.<\/span><\/p>\n

Until recently the trouble had been minor, cut fences, harsh words, fist fights. But why now? Why the change to violence? Why were people being killed?<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

Unable to return home, not directly; he turned to riding the Ponderosa contemplating the past, his actions and the words recently spoken. He finally found himself at his mother\u2019s grave. His emotions were in turmoil as he talked, leaning his back against the granite marker. The warmth from the afternoon sun soaked through to his soul. The calm of the land, the serenity of the waters; he thought he knew what to say, to face his father.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arriving home long after the sun had set, he handed Cochise off to their foreman, and the look he received dissolved every ounce of assurance Joe possessed. He\u2019d been in the wrong. One doesn\u2019t go against family.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad to see you\u2019re alright boy.\u201d The words were hesitant, questioning; wanting to voice something else instead.<\/span><\/p>\n

Boy, I guess against my brothers I am still a boy. But I\u2019m more of a man than Soong, he\u2019ll never\u2026 <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould it help to talk about it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYES!\u201d <\/em>He wanted to scream, to cry out all his hurts and doubts. But he was no longer a child to run to his father to kiss away the pain from a scraped knee or elbow, or discuss a childish crush on a girl at school.\u00a0 He was becoming a man, following his own course; one he feared had destroyed the love of family. They loved the land above all else, didn\u2019t they? <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat couldn\u2019t you tell me boy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

How could I tell him about Amy? To him she was just a name; a Bishop. Be wary of the Bishops, stay away from the Bishops They and everything Concho are bad. But Amy wasn\u2019t bad. She was sweet, and innocent.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love her Pa.”\u00a0 Followed moments later by, “I want to marry her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Did Pa understand? Could he understand how a chance meeting set into motion a conflict of the heart? Me and Amy against me and my family.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre we so far apart boy? I\u2019ve never held my land above my sons.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Would he really destroy the Poderosa? Yes, he would. He loves the land, but it can be replaced, unlike a son. He loves us more. He still loves me.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI guess we won\u2019t have any trouble talking any more, Pa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Her killing was an accident. And Pete Jessup\u2026 he\u2019s dead. I\u2019d killed him to save my life. But now, there was no future. I should have killed him before. Maybe then Amy would still be alive. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

To ease my hurt and the guilt their feud caused, I lied. <\/em>\u201cShe said it could never be; a Cartwright and a Bishop.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Epilogue:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Luther Bishop asked us to attend Amy\u2019s funeral. I never got to propose, to stand before our families and friends to profess my love, to pledge my heart. To love and honor until death do us part. But I did honor and love her. I still do. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Later that night, Pa placed a hand on my shoulder before heading up the stairs; I took solace in the contact. \u201cGood night, son.\u201d I couldn\u2019t answer.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss slipped his hands into his front pockets, lost in how to say what he wanted to say. I read everything in his eyes. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNight, Shortshanks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNight,\u201d I whispered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sat in his chair, slipping his finger between the pages of the current book he was reading, he watched Joe\u2019s emotions play out. Too many times they\u2019d argued for one thing or another; mostly inconsequential nothings. He knew the strain on their relationship was\u00a0partly due to a difference in age, and also\u00a0the differences in when and how they\u2019d been raised. He wanted to try to set things back on their true course.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know he does understand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa. He understands how one minute a person is\u00a0just a name and the next, they’ve stolen your heart.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe wiped an errant tear from the corner of his eye while he moved to stand in front of the massive fireplace, wishing the flames would warm the cold feeling in the pit of his stomach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe understands your loss, even though you and Amy never married.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter.\u201d Placing a hand on the stones, he leaned in to the support.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think it does. You\u2019re more a part of his understanding than you realize.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow so?\u201d Joe looked to where Adam sat in his blue chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMarie.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMomma?\u201d Joe turned to face his brother.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThink on the stories Pa\u2019s told us about your mother and how they met. The parallel is uncanny, in some ways. He restored her honor, and you restored the friendship between the Bishops and the Cartwrights.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the end, they both died.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Setting the book aside, Adam stood, approaching his brother, standing side by side. \u201cBut they both loved you Joe. Amy did love you, didn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd so do we.\u201d He wrapped an arm around Joe\u2019s shoulders. \u201cDon\u2019t ever forget that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlways.\u201d He leaned to the right, resting against his older brother, taking comfort that he too understood, \u201cLove wins out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

~The End<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The dialogue before the epilogue was taken from the episode The Truckee Strip, written by Herman Groves.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tags: Adam Cartwright, Ben Cartwright, Hoss Cartwright, JAM, Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright, JPM<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: Missing scenes for The Truckee Strip.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 (1,345 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":3814,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,41,61,13,40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","category-missing-scene","category-whn","category-challenges","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id","wpcat-61-id","wpcat-13-id","wpcat-40-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1845,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/joe-angst.jpg?fit=400%2C320&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15151,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15151","url_meta":{"origin":12031,"position":0},"title":"Something About Amy (by JC)","author":"JC","date":"August 28, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Tennyson said, \"It's better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.\" \u00a0What would Joe Cartwright say? 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In her place was an enticing young woman.... Joe's thoughts after his first encounter with Amy. 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