by J. Rosemary Moss
Genre: Fan Fiction (Bonanza)
Rating: PG
LINK TO PART ONE
~
Liam rested against Adam as the stage lumbered toward Virginia City. Adam didn’t seem to mind—and it would have been pointless if he did. There were so many passengers on the coach that they were all crammed together.
He shut his eyes, wondering what the Ponderosa would be like. He didn’t have high hopes for the ranch. There’d be woods and fields and creeks to play in—but who wanted that when you could have city streets, city noise, city street-music and an endless variety of people?
Adam had told Liam straight out that, despite its name, Virginia City wasn’t a real city—not compared to San Francisco. And he wouldn’t even get to go to Virginia City every day.
Worst of all, Liam was losing his best friend. Much as he hated to admit it, he already missed Sophie. They had enacted plays together, learned chess together, and gambled for candy with marbles and dice. Heck, Sophie had even convinced Liam to play with her dolls. That turned out to be kinda fun, since she let him decapitate one of them for high treason against their imaginary kingdom.
There would be new kids to meet, but it wouldn’t be the same. And, to own the truth, Liam was a bit nervous about going to school with a bunch of boys his own age. Would they welcome some new kid from San Francisco?
Well, if they didn’t, Liam could defend himself. He was a good, scrappy fighter—so he should be ok as long as two or more didn’t gang up on him.
Just then Adam interrupted his thoughts by tousling his hair. Liam glanced up at him.
“We’re almost there, kid,” he told Liam.
Liam nodded and, if possible, pressed himself even closer against Adam. Ok, so maybe he was a little nervous about meeting the rest of the Cartwrights too.
“Are you sure your Pa is going to let me stay?” he whispered.
“Yes, I’m sure,” Adam said, smiling a little. “You may have to draw a bath for him every now and then, though.”
Liam considered that. “Ok—but I’m really your valet, not anyone else’s. Don’t forget that.”
“Don’t worry,” Adam assured him. “I don’t mean to share you that often.”
Liam nodded, satisfied. He closed his eyes again until he felt the coach slacken to a halt.
The women got off the stage first with the assistance of the driver. Adam and Liam got off last of all, thanks in part to Liam’s crutches. And almost as soon as they were on solid ground, an enormous man wrapped his arms around Adam in a big bear hug.
Liam was so startled that he almost fell backwards, but someone caught him and helped him regain his balance. Liam turned to look at the fellow. He was youngish and good looking with a fun-loving smile.
“You must be Liam,” the man said.
“Yeah,” Liam admitted. “Are you Little Joe?”
“The same,” Joe said with a wink.
“And I’m Hoss,” said the big man, who had just released Adam. “What happened to your leg, little fellow? Adam’s wire said you were injured and that you were coming to stay with us—but not much else.”
“I was shot,” Liam answered. “Donavan and Conner stole the gun that I had stolen from Adam. It went off by accident while we were fighting over it.”
That put an abrupt halt to the conversation. Liam bit his lip, wondering if he had said too much. But Adam had told him that he didn’t mean to hide anything from his family.
“It’s a long story,” Adam said, filling in the sudden silence. “Why don’t I tell it back at the ranch?”
“Sure, older brother,” Joe said, recovering a little. “This oughtta be good.”
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