Vows of Silence (3/5)

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Author: Kaci
Vows of Silence
3/5
 
 
Joe held his breath, and then opened the solid door which would lead to his  
new yet old life. 

Ben, Adam and Hoss had just sat down to dinner when  they heard the front 
door open. The men stood up expecting one of the ranch  hands with a problem when 
Little Joe Cartwright, walked toward the table.  

"Pa?" Joe stood uncertainly waiting for his family's response, twisting  his 
hat in his hands. 

"JOE!" He felt himself engulfed in the arms of his  brothers. Hoss's blue 
eyes filled with tears while Adam looked at Joe in shock.  

"Pa?" the boy's voice broke again on the word. 

Ben had remained  still but with the second cry he ran to pull the boy into 
his arms into a warm  embrace, the tears running down his face. Joe had filled 
out and seemed so much  older than the last time he had held him. 

"We thought you were dead,  Joe!" Ben's sobs echoed in the house, with Hoss 
and Adam's tears mixing  together. "You're alive!" Ben sat Joe in a chair and 
knelt in front of him.  "Little Joe, where have you been? I can't believe 
you're alive son."  

Joe's tears ran down his face, while his mind was repeating the story to  
tell his family. "I was kidnapped....the man thought I was his son, he wouldn't  
let me go." Sobbing he kept the story short. Oh, how he wished he could tell 
his  family the truth! 

"How did you escape?" Adam interceded. His heart was  beating so fast...it 
was as if a great weight had been taken off his shoulders.  The guilt he had 
been suffering for the last two years finally gave way to  relief. 

"The man died...and I escaped....finally I ran across some  travelers and 
they helped me get home." To Adam the words sounded rehearsed, but  why would Joe 
not tell the truth? 

"Joe, why did he think you were his  son?" Ben asked. His son looked so good, 
healthy, with a sparkle in his green  eyes even if they glittered with tears. 
Ben looked down, Joe had caught his hand  and was pressing it tightly to his 
heart. 

"Well, I looked like him I  guess... he was insane, Pa. But....I'm so happy 
I'm home." Joe broke into tears  of happiness as his family gathered around 
him. 

Joe fielded all the  questions concerning the man, no he wasn't sure where 
the ranch was, no he  didn't meet any other people at the ranch, they were all 
alone. He kept to his  mentor's advice and never deviated from his main story. 

The next few  days were spent celebrating his return to their home. Joe tried 
to act the same  as before and for the main part succeeded. Only once in a 
while displaying  uncharacteristic behavior. The family just put this down to 
his captivity.  


Things settled down in Joe's life...except for Adam. Adam was always  staring 
at him, asking him questions, not accepting his stories as easily as  Hoss 
and his father. He wished Adam would just leave him alone. They started  
fighting more often, arguing over Joe's work and his frivolous behavior, Joe  tried 
his best to keep Adam at bay, but sometimes he wondered if he was  succeeding. 

"Pa...Joe is different...I know you and Hoss think he's the  same, but he's 
not."Adam felt like Joe's story just didn't ring true. Yes, he  had been 
kidnapped but why couldn't he remember the details of his  captivity?

Sighing, Ben looked at his eldest son, "Adam, we have no idea  what Joe was 
put through, you know that...I'm just thankful he's home." Ben had  doubts 
about Joe himself, but his happiness at having his son alive, was all  that 
mattered. 

"Fine...but have you noticed that he's absolutely without  fear of any 
consequence? Before he left he I could control him, but now he  delights in bad 
behavior. You haven't talked to Mitch or Seth lately. He's  turning into a little 
daredevil, nothing is too difficult for him to try. He's  riding his horse a 
fast as he can...jumping ditches, over hedges, I even caught  Joe down on D 
street drinking in the saloon." 

"What? I can't believe  that Joe would act so irresponsibly. I will have a 
talk with him as soon as he  gets home today. Look Adam, I know he's acting up 
but I will put a stop to his  bad behavior, we have to remember what he's been 
through."

"Pa, Joe's  using that against us. We try to correct him and we get the puppy 
dog eyes then  we feel sorry for him. He's playing us, Pa." Adam's fists were 
tight as he  waited for his father's answer. 

"He's just testing his wings, it has to  be extremely difficult to re-enter 
the family." Ben could tell he wasn't getting  through to his son, "Look, just 
let me handle it." Clapping Adam on the back, he  walked away. 

Adam whispered to himself, "Oh...and what about his  precision with a 
gun...how did he learn to be such a fast draw? What did that  man teach him?" 

~~~~

Hoss and Joe were playing around with swords  when Adam arrived home. Adam 
dismounted from his horse, completely disgusted  with the behavior of both of 
his brothers. 

"Why aren't you doing what I  told you to?" 

"Oh, big brother, what is that?" Joe retorted back to him.  

"You're supposed to be out checking the north pasture fence. Joe, fetch  your 
horse and get out there right now."Grabbing the sword from Hoss he asked,  
"Where did these swords come from, these aren't Marie's."Adam ran his fingers  
against the sharp blade nicking his finger. 

"I found them in the attic  if it's any business of yours." Joe placed his 
sword back in the wooden case  then held out his hand for the one Adam held. 
Adam reluctantly handed it to his  little brother. 

Hoss jumped into the fray, "I'm sorry Adam, Joe and I  were just playin'. 
Come on, Joe, let's git it done." Grabbing Joe's arm, he  pulled him into the 
barn. 

"Why do we always have to do what he says? I'm  sick of being told what to 
do!" Joe's eyes flashed fire, as if they had been  banked but were now glowing. 
"I'm seventeen years old I don't need to be  lectured as if I was a child." 

"Joe, Pa would be mad if we don't get out  there, so saddle up." The two 
brothers rode out but Joe gave Adam a dangerous  look, as if willing him to 
retaliate against him. Just one more time and he  would make Adam pay for his 
high-handedness. 

Later that night in bed,  Joe remembered his mentor's words...."control your 
temper or you just might  reveal your immortality." He had to regain control 
of his life....he had to  remember. Joe rolled over in bed on his stomach 
trying to shut out his thoughts.  

~~~~

Time passed with Joe and Adam staying out of each other's  space. Adam would 
correct Joe, but Joe held his temper most of the time. Joe was  a full time 
ranch hand now, he felt like an adult no matter what his family  thought. 

Joe looked around the saloon that Saturday night, it was filled  with trail 
drovers on a Saturday night binge. Hoss was arm wrestling with an old  friend 
and Adam was sipping his whiskey with his hat pulled half way over his  eyes 
sitting at a table. Ben was talking with Sheriff Roy Coffee and discussing  the 
Paiute crisis but still keeping an eye on his youngest son. 

As for  Joe, he was flirting with the saloon girl, Glory. Joe had met her 
during the  dust up with the Paiutes and Mark Burdette, but the trouble had 
passed and  everything had worked out. Joe thought Glory had the prettiest green 
eyes and  was contemplating kissing her when he stiffened and turned toward the 
saloon  door. 

A very young, thin man stood at the door, watching all the  pleasurable 
activities. Smiling, he opened the doors striding to the bar.  

"Barkeep, a whiskey please." The man had an accent that sounded unusual,  but 
since half the world had settled in Virginia City, it wasn't strange to hear  
many languages. 

The man raised his glass to Joe and Glory, "Nice place,  your home away from 
home?"

Joe laughed then shook his head, "Mi casa es  su casa." 

They broke into laughter then turned back to Glory, the three  sat down at a 
back table watching the evening pass. About an hour later, Glory  excused 
herself to powder her nose, leaving Joe and the man alone. 

Adam  had been watching them for awhile but his interest picked up as he saw 
Joe and  the stranger huddle together deep in conversation. He wanted to get 
closer to  listen but they would have spotted him so he decided to be 
introduced.  

"Hi Joe, who's your friend?" Adam crossed his arms waiting for an  answer. 

"Hi, Adam." Joe hesitated... but the man spoke up. 

"A  new acquaintance," he raised his glass of beer toward Adam," To new  
friends."

"I'm Adam Cartwright, Little Joe's brother and you are?"  

"I'm Doctor Adam Pierson. Nice to meet you," he gave Adam's hand a  limpid 
handshake. 

"Are you new in town Doctor? Are you a friend of  Doctor Martins?"

"I haven't had the pleasure yet." Standing he threw a  few coins onto the 
table then turned to Joe. "See ya around, Joe," with a grin  he walked slowly 
away. 

"Thanks, Adam, we were having a good time until  you butted in." Joe tossed 
more coins on the table and walked to the bar, where  Glory had returned. "Hey 
Glory, how about a moonlight serenade." Taking her arm  they left the saloon 
together strolling down the street.

"Joe, you are so  sweet, but won't your father mind you out here with me?" 
Glory ran her fingers  through Joe's hair. "Your bruises have already cleared 
up," she kissed his cheek  gently. "I was so worried about you after that fight 
in front of the saloon with  Thorne." 

"I'm fine." Joe brushed aside her concern. "Pa knows that I  wouldn't take 
advantage of a pretty girl like you, sweetheart." Joe nuzzled her  neck, and 
then whispered in her ear. "I have to meet someone honey, I'll see you  tomorrow, 
okay?" One last long kiss then they parted. 

Ben nodded to Adam  to follow his little brother outside. Adam watched Joe 
stop Glory several times  to kiss, but at the end of the street, he parted from 
Glory walking quickly to  the stable. A few minutes later, Joe left on Cochise 
riding south of town. Adam  hurriedly saddled Sport trying to keep just far 
enough behind so Joe wouldn't'  see him. 

Joe slowed his horse then riding under a huge oak tree; he  dismounted. 
"Adam?"

Doctor Pierson came from behind the tree; he grabbed  Joe into his arms 
hugging him hard. "Look at you, little one, all in one piece."  

Sitting down Joe leaned into his friend's side. "You were right, I  almost 
lost my temper with my brother, Adam. He suspects something but hasn't  been 
able to put the pieces together. I thought I was going to have to leave the  
ranch." 

"You can always return to the monastery but you have to watch  out for the 
other's. They're evil Joe, not Jonah, but the other two. Never trust  them. 
Koren would kill if you he could. He's good Joe...to good for you to  fight."

Adam dismounted slipping behind a few bushes. Listening closely  he realized 
that Joe and the good doctor were old friends. 

"I wish I  could go back sometimes but I can't leave my family I love them 
too much. My  father's life is his children, Hoss loves me, he has taken care of 
me for so  long..."

"And Adam?"

"I'm not sure...he's a brother, a substitute  father...a friend," Joe 
laughed, "and sometimes a know it all tyrant." Joe  dipped his head then grinned at 
Adam, "I'm very good you know. I thought I would  be to afraid to fight but the 
man pushed me past the point of retreat."  

"Really...."Adam smiled into Joe's eyes,"so you've met someone  recently."

"Yes...I was scared but I remembered everything you taught  me..." Joe 
couldn't help the note of pride in his voice, "I won."

"I  assumed so, my young friend...bravo." Putting his arm around Joe in a 
neck lock  he ruffled Joe's hair. "I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, sir." 

Adam  didn't understand the conversation but he thought Joe was talking about 
shooting  someone; probably in the fight with Burdette and Thorne. He knew 
that Adam  Pierson was trouble, if only he could find out who he was, why he had 
contacted  Joe. He listened for a while but they never alluded to any other 
secrets so  finally he gave up, mounting Sport to ride home. He didn't think he 
should talk  to his father yet, his father would always see Joe as his baby. 
Adam decided to  take Hoss into his confidence instead. 

Some time passed but Hoss refused  to listen to any 'dumb' comments about his 
little brother, he didn't understand  Adam's refusal to accept Joe just the 
way he was. So Adam alone determined to  find out the answers. 

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