Summary:\u00a0 \u00a0A What Happened Next for the episode \u201cMy Brother\u2019s Keeper.\u201d
\nRated:\u00a0 G
\nWord Count:\u00a0 3567<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Adam Cartwright sat near the enormous fireplace in the great room of the Ponderosa ranch house, a house that he had helped his father design and build. As he sat looking at the warm wood walls, the thoughts of what had happened kept chasing themselves in his mind. No matter how he approached the situation, his vaunted logic failed him. Failed him when he agreed to keep chasing the wolf at Montpellier Gorge and most assuredly failed him when he lost track of Joe, his baby brother, in the rocks. He was the oldest and, by default, supposedly the wisest; he made a stupid mistake and one that he had never made before. He could still see the wolf\u2019s fangs glistening in the light as they tore at his brother\u2019s flesh.<\/p>\n
Dear, god, how was he to tell his father that his brother had died. And that it was his fault, without a doubt. He knew that none would blame him for his transgression. He also knew that he would carry that guilt to his grave. How does one recover from something like this? How does one move on from such an act?<\/p>\n
He could still remember having to operate on his young brother with no ether and the help of two people he didn\u2019t even know. Joe hadn\u2019t thrashed about as he had expected. No, he had thrown his head back and moaned but had kept Adam from causing more damage than had already been done. As he worked, Adam could feel himself empathize with the person who could in one breath drive him to distraction and in the next bring him to his knees. He would have given anything to have traded places with Joe.<\/p>\n
Hoss, the middle brother, had left that morning to take the men to see Sheriff Coffee, the men who had stolen Joe\u2019s chance at surviving the mauling and had tried to ambush them in their home. The Reardons, the total strangers he had relied on, had finally gone. Not to say that he wasn\u2019t grateful for their help in such a situation but Mr. Reardon had always been too ready with soothing words and he wasn\u2019t in the mood to be comforted. \u00a0Shelia, now that he thought about it, hadn\u2019t been much better than her father. Complaining that there wasn\u2019t a doctor, no medicine\u2026as if he didn\u2019t know the drawbacks to living out West. He couldn\u2019t fathom what he had seen in her. He put his actions up to it being a very stressful situation and he hadn\u2019t been reacting as he typically would.<\/p>\n
As he sat in his favorite chair, Adam felt himself give himself up to the exhaustion that had been dogging his heels since the fiasco began. He wanted to be awake when Ben, the patriarch of the Cartwright family, returned but just couldn\u2019t seem to will the sleepiness away.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
Sobbing woke Adam from his troubled sleep. He got out his warm bed and followed the sounds to his young brother\u2019s room. Opening the door, he saw that Joe was having a nightmare and was crying in his sleep.\u00a0Little wonder,\u00a0<\/em>thought Adam,\u00a0his mother just died.\u00a0<\/em>He rushed to the bedside to waken Joe. \u201cJoe, wake up,\u201d he coaxed gently, \u201cyou\u2019re having a bad dream.\u201d<\/p>\n His brother continued to cry out in his restlessness. Adam reached over and picked Joe up and carried him to the rocking chair near the window in the bedroom. He began to sing softly to his beloved sibling. He had done this so many times in the last few months. The young boy had never been prone to nightmares but since his mother had died in a riding accident it was a nightly occurrence. As he rocked, he felt Joe begin to relax and could also tell that small body he held was also awake.<\/p>\n He recalled the accident that had left this small bundle of energy without a mother and, for a while, without a father. Not that he could really blame his father. It was difficult to loose one wife but to have lost three\u2014there had to be a toll on a man\u2019s soul. He knew that Ben couldn\u2019t look at Joe with out seeing Marie in the child\u2019s face. As things stood now, Adam was the one who had to run the ranch and look after his two younger brothers. A question from the child he rocked brought Adam back to the present.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam, will you always sing to me,\u201d asked Joe sleepily.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course I will. You know you don\u2019t even have to ask,\u201d answered the older Cartwright.<\/p>\n \u201cEven if I die and go to heaven like Mama,\u201d persisted Little Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, don\u2019t even talk like that,\u201d Adam said. The thought of Joe not being around brought an intense ache to his heart. \u201cYou\u2019re going to live to be an old, old man and have lots of adventures with me and Hoss. Sounds like fun, don\u2019t ya think?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan we sail the seas like Pa,\u201d asked the youngest Cartwright, who sounded sleepy again.<\/p>\n \u201cSure we can. We\u2019ll go anywhere you want, anywhere at all. How about you go back to sleep and we\u2019ll talk more about it in the morning,\u201d promised Adam. He stood up and carried his brother to bed and was getting the covers straightened out.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam . . . will you sleep in here tonight? I don\u2019t want to be alone,\u201d admitted Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cSure, scoot over a bit and I\u2019ll be here,\u201d Adam assured Joe. \u201cI\u2019ll always be here for you and protect you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI love you, Adam,\u201d Joe said, yawning.<\/p>\n \u201cI love you too, buddy,\u201d Adam whispered back.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Adam again woke to the sounds of sobbing. For an instant he thought he was in Joe\u2019s room. It took him a few seconds to realize he was the source of the crying. He had forgotten that long ago promise that he\u2019d made to his grieving brother. His brother wouldn\u2019t grow to be an old man nor would they ever have the chance to have all of those adventures at sea, although, they had quite a few adventures at home.<\/p>\n He chuckled lightly to himself as he remembered all the mischief that the three brothers had gotten into over the years. He was willing to bet that those \u201cadventures\u201d were why Pa had so much gray hair now, though most of it was Joe\u2019s fault. He was swept away by the memories of the time that Joe had decided to try to learn how to start a fire without matches.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Ben was out in the barn with his older two sons when he smelled the distinct odor of smoke. They had been discussing Joe\u2019s upcoming sixth birthday party and were trying to decide what to get the young troublemaker. They wanted to make it special since it would be his first birthday since his mother had passed away.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you smell smoke?\u201d queried Ben. He sniffed the air as acrid scent became stronger.<\/p>\n \u201cYes sir, I sure do,\u201d answered Hoss, who at twelve looked to be more like fifteen.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, god, what\u2019s he gotten into now?\u201d groaned Adam, for he was positive he knew the source of the smoke and it wasn\u2019t just fire.<\/p>\n \u201cNow Adam, you don\u2019t know where that\u2019s coming from. Your brother isn\u2019t reason for everything happening, you know,\u201d admonished Ben. Although, he would only admit to himself that he\u2019d had the same thoughts as well. It boggled the mind at how quickly the child went from one near disaster to another. Ben swore he could actually feel his hair turning grey. He was grateful it wasn\u2019t falling out as well.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, you know you can\u2019t turn your back on him for five minutes without something happening,\u201d Adam answered, with a smile in his voice. Truth be told, the scamp was always keeping them on their toes and it certainly was never dull around the Ponderosa. He\u2019d never forget the time that he\u2019d managed to connive Hoss into believing that time stopped in the woods and nobody would ever know they had left the ranch house. They\u2019d been missing for most of the day before he and Pa, frantic by this point, had found the younger brothers covered in mud and desperately trying to look innocent.<\/p>\n The three Cartwrights went out in search of the odor. As soon as they left the barn, they could see the smoke coming from behind the ranch house. Rounding the back of the house, they came upon a sight which stopped them in their tracks. There was Joe, calmly trying to put out a good sized fire. There was a trail of water from the kitchen to where Joe was standing and everyone knew their factotum would be furious if Joe had messed up his kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cFire!\u201d bellowed Adam. He turned to go looking for buckets and men with which to put out the fire.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph! Get away from there,\u201d Ben yelled as he snatched his baby away from the flames.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss take your brother and go to the barn while we try and get this under control!\u201d<\/p>\n Men came running with buckets and they set up a fire line, passing buckets of water from person to person. Soon, the fire was put out and there was quite a bit of damage to Hop Sing\u2019s garden. Ben and Adam thanked the men for such quick action. After the hands left, the two went to the barn to find out from Joe what had happened.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe,\u201d called Ben. His young son came running up to him with his arms out to be picked up. He obligingly did this, as Hoss and Adam were too old to be cuddled like this but he could still get away with it from his baby.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, can you tell Papa what happened back there,\u201d asked Ben.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Papa, you remember telling me that you were going to show me how to make a fire\u2026\u201d started Joe with his explanation.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I also remember telling you that you were too young and it would have to wait until you were older,\u201d Ben stated with a frown.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, you said that last week and now I\u2019m older,\u201d Joe stated emphatically in his child logic. It sounded perfectly reasonable to him.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you telling me that you started the fire?\u201d Adam asked incredulously. He knew his brother could come up with some bizarre reasons for doing things but this . . . was not what he had been expecting.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was only supposed to be a small one,\u201d explained Joe. \u201cI took some of Papa\u2019s matches and built a small pile of leaves and sticks. I was doing real good until I dropped all those other matches in the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen what happened?\u201d asked Hoss; it was getting close to supper time and he was hungry. He figured the sooner he wrapped this up, the sooner he could get some pie. Just the thought made his mouth water.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I didn\u2019t get all of the other leaves away from the fire and it just sorta spread,\u201d Joe said. He pretty sure he was going to be in trouble for this one. From the look on Papa\u2019s face, he was sure he was going to get a \u201cnecessary talking to\u201d in near future.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, you know you aren\u2019t supposed to touch anything on my desk, don\u2019t you? And you also know you aren\u2019t supposed to mess with matches, don\u2019t you? Now, I\u2019m going to send your brothers in for dinner while you and I have a talk,\u201d Ben stated. He hated having to discipline his boys but Joe could have burnt the house down!<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n As the memories washed over him, Adam decided it was time to keep his promise to Joe. That he would sing to him even after Joe was gone from this world. He also knew Joe would tell him to stop being such a worrywart and not let it bother him. For whatever reason, he couldn\u2019t let this go. He\u00a0had\u00a0<\/em>to do this. There was a burning need to do this for his brother. He couldn\u2019t explain it. He just couldn\u2019t wait until later. It had to be done\u00a0now<\/em>.<\/p>\n He felt bereft but, also, felt the pain being tempered as he recalled the many happy time he had shared with Joe and the rest of his family. He got up quickly in search of his guitar. He knew what he had to write, he just hoped he had it in him to put it to music the way he wanted. Hopefully, Joe wouldn\u2019t be laughing at him from his perch in heaven as he watched his oldest brother trip over the coffee table in his haste.<\/p>\n Working diligently, he wrote what he hoped was a tribute to his beloved brother. He wished that he could see Joe\u2019s face as he sang:<\/p>\n I\u2019m so tired of being here These wounds won\u2019t seem to heal When you cried I\u2019d wipe away all of your tears<\/em> You used to captivate me These wounds won\u2019t seem to heal<\/em> When you cried I\u2019d wipe away all of your tears<\/em> I\u2019ve tried so hard to tell myself that you\u2019re gone<\/em> When you cried I\u2019d wipe away all of your tears<\/em> All of me<\/em><\/p>\n As he finished, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Adam looked up to see his father\u2019s face with tears streaming, unchecked from his eyes. Adam felt as if he\u2019d been hit in the stomach. He was now faced with telling his father what had happened. That he had killed Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cPa,\u201d Adam began. \u201cPa . . . oh, god, Pa! He\u2019s, he\u2019s\u2026\u201d He finished on a sob. His heart ached with the news he was trying to impart to his father. He didn\u2019t think he would ever be able to live with what he had done or, as he perceived, failed to do for his brother.<\/p>\n \u201cShh, son. I know, Hoss told me what happened. We met on the road and he filled me in on what\u2019s been going on,\u201d Ben tried to comfort his sobbing child, even in his own hour of grief. He turned to his large son and said, \u201cHoss, would you mind getting his bed ready? He\u2019s out on his feet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure, Pa. Do you think we should get the doc out here to see if he can get him to calm down,\u201d inquired Hoss. He didn\u2019t relish the thought of that quack being back in the house but he would get him if his Pa wanted him.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, let\u2019s try and get him to sleep without any medicines,\u201d Ben said after a moment. \u201cIt will be a much more healing sleep if he\u2019s not medicated.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss nodded and went up the stairs to ready the room. He hesitated slightly at Joe\u2019s door but continued on to Adam\u2019s room. He got the bed ready, pulled out a nightshirt, and went to help Ben get Adam upstairs.<\/p>\n Adam felt himself being half carried to his bedroom and also felt hands getting him into his nightclothes. Finally, he was tucked in and he felt a warm hand on his forehead and a voice whispering in his ear. He couldn\u2019t understand what was being said but knew it was his father. His heart swelled as he realized his father was trying to give him comfort and, with this knowledge, drifted off into slumber.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n With a start, Adam sat bolt upright in bed. His heart pounding, his breathing coming in short gasps, and he was covered in sweat. He briefly wondered if this was how Joe felt when woke up from his nightmares. And with that innocent thought, the truth hit him full-force. His brother was gone. He couldn\u2019t shake the overwhelming guilt that dogged him at every turn.<\/p>\n Making a decision, he quickly threw the covers back and padded quietly to his younger brother\u2019s room. He felt that he would try and find solace in the room that Joe had grown up in, that maybe he could be closer to his brother. He knew it was irrational but he couldn\u2019t shake the feeling that he would be nearer to Joe there.<\/p>\n Opening the door, Adam stood in shock at what he saw. There, in the middle of disheveled bedding, was Joe, whole and alive. He could see the bandages on Joe but he was\u00a0alive!\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0In shock, he made his way over to the bed and just stood looking down at the sleeping face. He could feel himself shaking in reaction to the vision before him.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe,\u201d Adam managed to get out. He reached his trembling hand out and touched the warm, living flesh. He gave a little shake. \u201cJoe!\u201d This time a bit more urgent.<\/p>\n \u201cWha . . .\u201d Joe mumbled sleepily. \u201cGo way, it\u2019s not even light out!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe,\u201d Adam whispered. \u201cI\u2026I had a dream. I had to see if you were all right.\u201d Now that he\u2019d said it, it sounded ridiculous. How could he explain to his brother than he\u2019d been certain that Joe was dead? He still couldn\u2019t believe he was talking with him.<\/p>\n Waking up at last, Joe looked at his usually stoic brother. Adam was pale, even in the moonlight, and was shaking. Alarmed, Joe sat up and urged Adam to sit on the edge of the bed.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you okay?\u201d asked Joe. \u201cDo you need me to get Pa?\u201d He was getting worried by the fact that Adam just kept staring at him like he\u2019d seen a ghost.<\/p>\n \u201cNo! Sorry, no, I\u2019ll be okay in a minute,\u201d Adam replied. He sat there a minute and began gathering his thoughts about what he\u2019d dreamed. Once he had everything straight in his mind, Adam began his tale.<\/p>\n Not one to be quiet, Joe sat in silence letting his brother tell the dream that had scared him so badly. He vaguely recalled that long ago promise of adventures on the high seas. He definitely remembered the talk he and Pa had over the fire incident. He was in a state of shock as he listened to his brother tell him about the need to write a song. He knew his brother played but he\u2019d never known him to actually write something. Adam\u2019s voice eventually fell away and the two sat in companionable silence for a time.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam, I don\u2019t know what to say,\u201d Joe started. \u201cThat is the most beautiful song I\u2019ve heard. I can\u2019t believe you\u2019d write something like that about me.\u201d<\/p>\n Sighing, Adam looked at Joe. \u201cI know we don\u2019t always get along. Surely you have to know how I feel about you, Hoss, and\u00a0Pa.\u00a0You\u2019re my family and nothing is more important to me than that. I still can\u2019t believe that almost killed you!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn\u2019t, though. You got me home and even got the bullet out. Not too many people would have been able to accomplish all of that. You didn\u2019t even have the right equipment and, yet, here I am. On my way to being totally well and it\u2019s all thanks to you, older brother,\u201d Joe said with quiet certainty.<\/p>\n \u201cBut,\u201d Adam started.<\/p>\n \u201cBut, nothing. There\u2019s nothing to forgive . . . only yourself,\u201d came the quiet wisdom from the younger of the two men.<\/p>\n Adam looked at his brother and realized that he was right. It had been an awful experience and one he didn\u2019t ever want to repeat. The only bright side, if you could call it that, was the fact that he and Joe were closer than they had been in years.\u00a0\u00a0 He started to chuckle quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s so funny,\u201d Joe wanted to know.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly with us would it take something like this to bring us together,\u201d Adam said with quiet humor.<\/p>\n Smirking, Joe said, \u201cI never do anything the easy way. Or have you forgotten that in your old age, brother?\u201d<\/p>\n Laughing, Adam made to get up to leave and a hand on his arm stopped the movement. He looked at the owner of the hand.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks for everything. I love you, Adam,\u201d Joe said, yawning.<\/p>\n \u201cI love you too, buddy,\u201d Adam whispered back.<\/p>\n ***The End***<\/p>\n A\/N:<\/p>\n \u201cMy Immortal\u201d was written by Amy Lee and Evanescence. No infringement intended. I heard this song and thought it would be nice to try and work it into a fic.<\/p>\n
\nSuppressed by all my childish fears
\nAnd if you have to leave
\nI wish that you would just leave
\n\u2018Cause your presence still lingers here
\nAnd it won\u2019t leave me alone<\/em><\/p>\n
\nThis pain is just too real
\nThere\u2019s just too much that time cannot erase<\/em><\/p>\n
\nWhen you\u2019d scream I\u2019d fight away all of your fears<\/em>
\nAnd I held your hand through all of these years<\/em>
\nBut you still have<\/em>
\nAll of me<\/em><\/p>\n
\nBy your resonating light
\nNow I\u2019m bound by the life you left behind
\nYour face it haunts
\nMy once pleasant dreams
\nYour voice it chased away
\nAll the sanity in me<\/em><\/p>\n
\nThis pain is just too real<\/em>
\nThere\u2019s just too much that time cannot erase<\/em><\/p>\n
\nWhen you\u2019d scream I\u2019d fight away all of your fears<\/em>
\nAnd I held your hand through all of these years<\/em>
\nBut you still have<\/em>
\nAll of me<\/em><\/p>\n
\nBut though you\u2019re still with me<\/em>
\nI\u2019ve been alone all along<\/em><\/p>\n
\nWhen you\u2019d scream I\u2019d fight away all of your fears<\/em>
\nAnd I held your hand through all of these years<\/em>
\nBut you still have<\/em><\/p>\n