Forgotten Past
By: Miranda Rochelle Inc
Chapter 1: "His" Return
Joseph Cartwright strolled down the street of Virginia City, on his way to the Bucket O' Blood saloon. His two older brothers, Adam and Hoss were at the general store, gathering the supplies for the ranch. He had been sent to complete other errands, like gather the mail, send a telegram, and a few other things. With all of his errands completed, he decided to relax before his brothers joined him. His brothers were always hassling him because he was the youngest. Eighteen years of age was old enough to go have a beer! He couldn't understand why they gave him so much grief about it!
It was a rather cold day, so the streets were practically empty. One of the few people on the street, an older man, about Joe's father's age, walked up to the boy. "Joseph Cartwright?" He asked. A nice black hat covered head, but the hair that he could see under the hat was as gray as Ben's and his eyes were a sparkling green the pine trees that covered much of the Ponderosa's land.
Joe didn't recognize the man, but in the back of his mind an alarm went off and told him to use extreme caution. Yet, before he could say anything, the man continued in a very cheerful voice, with a large grin on his face, "It is you, isn't it, Little Joe! Its been eleven years, whoo-wee! You've changed."
Joe stared at him slightly confused, "Do-should I know you?" He hadn't meant to sound as rude as he had, but that anxious feeling was getting worse, and he was completely at a loss as to who this stranger was.
"I worked on the Ponderosa ten, eleven years ago. My gosh! You look like a fine and dandy young man!"
Joe smiled, glad that someone took notice that he was no longer a boy. The anxious feeling started to fall to the back of his mind. "Sorry, I don't seem to remember you. What's your name?"
"Thomson, James Thomson." James smiled. "I'm sure your father remembers me."
Joe nodded, "Yeah, he has a good memory."
"So he's alright? Still alive, I mean? He should be getting up there in years. I haven't been in contact, I've been busy. How's that old man?"
"Doing great, actually. Still got a lot a years ahead of 'im."
James' grin grew wider, "Good to hear. You tell him I'm in town, okay?"
"I'll do that," Joe answered.
"See you around, Joe," James tipped his hat and walked away.
Joe started again for the saloon; he didn't remember a James Thomson ever working at the ranch. But then again, hands came and went continuously. It was rather difficult to remember every one. He shook the thought from his mind, right now, all he wanted was a nice beer.
*** After his brothers met Joe in the saloon, they didn't stay long. They reached their home just as Hop Sing was setting dinner on the table.
"There you three are," Ben said jokingly, "I was beginning to think you weren't hungry."
"Sucks, pa," Hoss answered, setting his hat down, "how could you ever think that?"
The family laughed and sat down to an uneventful supper.
After the meal was finished, the four Cartwrights sat in the living room drinking coffee. Joe and Hoss were engrossed in a game of checkers, while they chatted about the day's events.
Suddenly, Joe remembered James. "Oh, pa, one of our old hands is in Virginia City and wanted me to tell you."
"Really," Ben smiled, "who?"
"He said he worked here about ten, eleven years ago; said his name was James Thomson."
Ben nearly spit out the sip of coffee he had just taken; both Adam and Hoss froze, and Joe swore that he heard a dish crash and shatter on the floor in the kitchen. Ben stared at Joe almost fearfully, "You...are you alright son?"
"He didn't hurt ya none, did 'e, Joe?" Hoss rushed.
"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Adams asked just as quickly.
All three were talking over each other that Joe couldn't understand a single one of them, "Hold it! Hold it!" Joe yelled over the three of them. When they fell silent he continued. "I'd never heard of him before! He asked me to tell pa he was in town, that's all!"
"Wad'da ya mean, Little Joe? You don' remember?" Hoss asked skeptically.
"Remember what?"
"You have to remember, Joe," Adam continued, "he-"
"That's enough!" Ben said deathly quiet.
"Why?" Joe asked, not willing to end the conversation with so many questions in his mind. "What happened?"
"We have to get an early start tomorrow, why don't you go to bed?" Ben said, obviously avoiding the question.
Joe looked slightly hurt, and did not want to leave unanswered, but the look in his father's eyes told him that he better not dare to argue. Joe had never seen that look in those eyes before. It was something even beyond fear. Joe had seen fear before, whenever he was sick or hurt, Ben worried far too much for his own good. Joe just guessed that Ben had been through so much emotional pain that anything could cause that same fear of losing another loved one to resurface. But why now? Just because a hand had returned to the city? And was that guilt mixed in with the fear?! "Sure, pa." He walked over to the staircase, he put his foot on the first step then turned around, "'Night pa, Adam, Hoss." They returned his sentiment and he ascended the stairs. He was about to enter his room when he heard his family resume his conversation.
"Why d'ya think Joe cain't remember, pa?" Hoss asked, "Shouldn't he remember?"
"I've heard that people block out memories that are too tramatic," Adam answered, "maybe that's what he's doing? He was only seven."
"I don't care why he can't remember," Ben said, his voice raw with emotion, "I thank God for making him forget!"
"Pa," Adam continued, "if Thomson is back he'll try to kill Little Joe again. He promised he'd be back."
"Didn't we get word eight years ago that he had died?!" Ben asked with a sigh.
"I thought we had!" Adam answered with a matching sigh.
"What should we do, pa?" Hoss asked, "If Thomson sees Little Joe again he'll kill 'im."
"No," Ben said solemnly, "He won't kill Joe unless I'm there to see it. You remember?"
Joe couldn't believe what he was hearing. He desperately tried to remember what happened; unfortunately, nothing came to him. Why couldn't he remember? It couldn't have been too bad; he was still there wasn't he?
"We have to keep Joe out of Virginia City," Ben continued. "I don't care how, just make sure he isn't ever alone."
"What if he asks, pa?" Hoss asked, "What do we tell 'im happened?"
Ben sighed again, "I don't know."
"He needs to know, pa!" Adam shot, "We can't keep it a secret fo-"
"No!" Ben yelled.
"I think Joe has the right to know that he was nearly killed! At least if we tell him he might be careful."
"No!" Ben repeated, "Adam you were there! You saw what they did to him! I-" His voice started to crack, "I didn't do anything!"
"Dagburnit, pa! You couldn'ta done anything! I was there, too, remember? There were six of them, and they had guns, we didn't have anything."
"I couldn't protect my own sons! Joe was a baby! I didn't stop them from beating or shooting my own seven year old son!"
Joe was in a daze. He leaned against the wall and slid into a sitting position, and hugged his knees to his chest. That didn't make sense! It couldn't be true! He should definitely remember something about that!
"It wasn't your fault, pa." Adam said comfortingly.
"Yes, it was son." Everything fell silent for a moment, and then their father continued, "He was so little. Every time I see him hurt, that memory comes out. I see him bleeding; I can feel him lying in my arms, his blood covering my hands! I can hear him telling me..." he paused as he fought back the memory and the urge to cry, "I hear him telling me that it was his fault. That he was sorry he had caused it to happen!"
"Thomson made him think that, pa," Adam said softly, "he tricked Little Joe into believing that."
"Yeah, pa," Hoss added, "he was trying to protect us."
"No," Ben said even softer, "Joe was trying to protect me. Thomson only threatened me."
The misery in his father's voice broke Joe's heart. He was fine! His father shouldn't feel so guilty!
"Joe's fine, pa." Hoss said, "We'll keep him away from the city."
"I don't want him alone. Thomson will do anything to try to get to him. Now, both of you, up to bed, we have to be up early tomorrow."
Joe scrambled to his room as silently as he could. He had a lot to think about.
A/N: Well, I hope everyone likes the first chapter! Please send any reviews! I would gladly appreciate any! Don't be too harsh, if possible...I'm bearly into the storyline, and I haven't seen ALL the episodes of Bonanza. I'm just a Joe crazy fan! Night peeps.
By: Miranda Rochelle Inc
Chapter 1: "His" Return
Joseph Cartwright strolled down the street of Virginia City, on his way to the Bucket O' Blood saloon. His two older brothers, Adam and Hoss were at the general store, gathering the supplies for the ranch. He had been sent to complete other errands, like gather the mail, send a telegram, and a few other things. With all of his errands completed, he decided to relax before his brothers joined him. His brothers were always hassling him because he was the youngest. Eighteen years of age was old enough to go have a beer! He couldn't understand why they gave him so much grief about it!
It was a rather cold day, so the streets were practically empty. One of the few people on the street, an older man, about Joe's father's age, walked up to the boy. "Joseph Cartwright?" He asked. A nice black hat covered head, but the hair that he could see under the hat was as gray as Ben's and his eyes were a sparkling green the pine trees that covered much of the Ponderosa's land.
Joe didn't recognize the man, but in the back of his mind an alarm went off and told him to use extreme caution. Yet, before he could say anything, the man continued in a very cheerful voice, with a large grin on his face, "It is you, isn't it, Little Joe! Its been eleven years, whoo-wee! You've changed."
Joe stared at him slightly confused, "Do-should I know you?" He hadn't meant to sound as rude as he had, but that anxious feeling was getting worse, and he was completely at a loss as to who this stranger was.
"I worked on the Ponderosa ten, eleven years ago. My gosh! You look like a fine and dandy young man!"
Joe smiled, glad that someone took notice that he was no longer a boy. The anxious feeling started to fall to the back of his mind. "Sorry, I don't seem to remember you. What's your name?"
"Thomson, James Thomson." James smiled. "I'm sure your father remembers me."
Joe nodded, "Yeah, he has a good memory."
"So he's alright? Still alive, I mean? He should be getting up there in years. I haven't been in contact, I've been busy. How's that old man?"
"Doing great, actually. Still got a lot a years ahead of 'im."
James' grin grew wider, "Good to hear. You tell him I'm in town, okay?"
"I'll do that," Joe answered.
"See you around, Joe," James tipped his hat and walked away.
Joe started again for the saloon; he didn't remember a James Thomson ever working at the ranch. But then again, hands came and went continuously. It was rather difficult to remember every one. He shook the thought from his mind, right now, all he wanted was a nice beer.
*** After his brothers met Joe in the saloon, they didn't stay long. They reached their home just as Hop Sing was setting dinner on the table.
"There you three are," Ben said jokingly, "I was beginning to think you weren't hungry."
"Sucks, pa," Hoss answered, setting his hat down, "how could you ever think that?"
The family laughed and sat down to an uneventful supper.
After the meal was finished, the four Cartwrights sat in the living room drinking coffee. Joe and Hoss were engrossed in a game of checkers, while they chatted about the day's events.
Suddenly, Joe remembered James. "Oh, pa, one of our old hands is in Virginia City and wanted me to tell you."
"Really," Ben smiled, "who?"
"He said he worked here about ten, eleven years ago; said his name was James Thomson."
Ben nearly spit out the sip of coffee he had just taken; both Adam and Hoss froze, and Joe swore that he heard a dish crash and shatter on the floor in the kitchen. Ben stared at Joe almost fearfully, "You...are you alright son?"
"He didn't hurt ya none, did 'e, Joe?" Hoss rushed.
"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Adams asked just as quickly.
All three were talking over each other that Joe couldn't understand a single one of them, "Hold it! Hold it!" Joe yelled over the three of them. When they fell silent he continued. "I'd never heard of him before! He asked me to tell pa he was in town, that's all!"
"Wad'da ya mean, Little Joe? You don' remember?" Hoss asked skeptically.
"Remember what?"
"You have to remember, Joe," Adam continued, "he-"
"That's enough!" Ben said deathly quiet.
"Why?" Joe asked, not willing to end the conversation with so many questions in his mind. "What happened?"
"We have to get an early start tomorrow, why don't you go to bed?" Ben said, obviously avoiding the question.
Joe looked slightly hurt, and did not want to leave unanswered, but the look in his father's eyes told him that he better not dare to argue. Joe had never seen that look in those eyes before. It was something even beyond fear. Joe had seen fear before, whenever he was sick or hurt, Ben worried far too much for his own good. Joe just guessed that Ben had been through so much emotional pain that anything could cause that same fear of losing another loved one to resurface. But why now? Just because a hand had returned to the city? And was that guilt mixed in with the fear?! "Sure, pa." He walked over to the staircase, he put his foot on the first step then turned around, "'Night pa, Adam, Hoss." They returned his sentiment and he ascended the stairs. He was about to enter his room when he heard his family resume his conversation.
"Why d'ya think Joe cain't remember, pa?" Hoss asked, "Shouldn't he remember?"
"I've heard that people block out memories that are too tramatic," Adam answered, "maybe that's what he's doing? He was only seven."
"I don't care why he can't remember," Ben said, his voice raw with emotion, "I thank God for making him forget!"
"Pa," Adam continued, "if Thomson is back he'll try to kill Little Joe again. He promised he'd be back."
"Didn't we get word eight years ago that he had died?!" Ben asked with a sigh.
"I thought we had!" Adam answered with a matching sigh.
"What should we do, pa?" Hoss asked, "If Thomson sees Little Joe again he'll kill 'im."
"No," Ben said solemnly, "He won't kill Joe unless I'm there to see it. You remember?"
Joe couldn't believe what he was hearing. He desperately tried to remember what happened; unfortunately, nothing came to him. Why couldn't he remember? It couldn't have been too bad; he was still there wasn't he?
"We have to keep Joe out of Virginia City," Ben continued. "I don't care how, just make sure he isn't ever alone."
"What if he asks, pa?" Hoss asked, "What do we tell 'im happened?"
Ben sighed again, "I don't know."
"He needs to know, pa!" Adam shot, "We can't keep it a secret fo-"
"No!" Ben yelled.
"I think Joe has the right to know that he was nearly killed! At least if we tell him he might be careful."
"No!" Ben repeated, "Adam you were there! You saw what they did to him! I-" His voice started to crack, "I didn't do anything!"
"Dagburnit, pa! You couldn'ta done anything! I was there, too, remember? There were six of them, and they had guns, we didn't have anything."
"I couldn't protect my own sons! Joe was a baby! I didn't stop them from beating or shooting my own seven year old son!"
Joe was in a daze. He leaned against the wall and slid into a sitting position, and hugged his knees to his chest. That didn't make sense! It couldn't be true! He should definitely remember something about that!
"It wasn't your fault, pa." Adam said comfortingly.
"Yes, it was son." Everything fell silent for a moment, and then their father continued, "He was so little. Every time I see him hurt, that memory comes out. I see him bleeding; I can feel him lying in my arms, his blood covering my hands! I can hear him telling me..." he paused as he fought back the memory and the urge to cry, "I hear him telling me that it was his fault. That he was sorry he had caused it to happen!"
"Thomson made him think that, pa," Adam said softly, "he tricked Little Joe into believing that."
"Yeah, pa," Hoss added, "he was trying to protect us."
"No," Ben said even softer, "Joe was trying to protect me. Thomson only threatened me."
The misery in his father's voice broke Joe's heart. He was fine! His father shouldn't feel so guilty!
"Joe's fine, pa." Hoss said, "We'll keep him away from the city."
"I don't want him alone. Thomson will do anything to try to get to him. Now, both of you, up to bed, we have to be up early tomorrow."
Joe scrambled to his room as silently as he could. He had a lot to think about.
A/N: Well, I hope everyone likes the first chapter! Please send any reviews! I would gladly appreciate any! Don't be too harsh, if possible...I'm bearly into the storyline, and I haven't seen ALL the episodes of Bonanza. I'm just a Joe crazy fan! Night peeps.
