A light breeze sifted through the Ponderosa house on a hot summer night. All was quiet except for a small ghost with tousled hair wandering the hall. The figure gently pushed open the door to her eldest brother's room. The lamp on the nightstand burned dim revealing a young man stretched out on his back surrounded by books on his bed. Tip toeing into the room the child whispered to the sleeping man. When he didn't stir she placed her delicate white hand in his rough tanned one and tugged.

"Hey Adam."

"Mmm?"

"Adam!" she whispered a little louder.

Startled he sat up running his fingers through a mess of dark hair. Through bleary eyes he blinked at the small figure before him. Standing in an old shirt was his six-year-old sister. Red hair disheveled, freckles scattered across her face and her blue eyes staring up at him misty. "What's wrong?" the thought of his sister distressed had him awake faster than any storm that threatened to tear the house apart could have.

"Can I sleep with you?" she asked in a small voice

He began to clear space for her on the bed, "Get in."

Clambering into the bed she snuggled under the covers beside him and he couldn't help but notice how small she was for her age. He hoped she'd have an easier time starting school than Little Joe did. He noticed her chewing her lip, a habit she'd formed lately when she was getting upset.

"What's bothering you sweet pea?"

"Why do you want to leave us?"

He sighed. This wasn't the first time they'd had a conversation about him leaving for college. "I don't want to leave you…but I want to go to school."

"But you're already plenty smart."

"I want to learn more."

"Can I go with you? Pa said I'm starting school this year too!"

"I'm afraid you're too young for college. This school here will be perfect for you. Are you excited to start school?"

"No.."

"Why not?"

"Joe says it's hard….Hoss always hated it too. You're the only one who likes school Adam."

"You like when I teach you." he countered.

"I like when you teach me about books…you love it so it makes me like it. Like when Hoss talks about horses and things. It makes him so happy it makes me happy too."

"You know Mrs. Johnson really loves what she teaches…Her liking it might make you like it too."

"Maybe.." she stated thoughtfully

"And you can write me and tell me all about what you're learning. I promise to write you and tell you what I learn too. Deal?"

"Deal." She laid her head on the pillow somewhat content with the arrangement. "Adam will you tell me a story?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose, "Virginia it's late…"

"Please?" she begged, "Before you leave…"

"Alright." He agreed. Arranging the pillows he leaned up on his arm so he could watch her face as her told the story. "But then you have to go to sleep."

"I promise."

One day, a long, long time ago", he began, in a voice softer and more soothing than the one he'd used before, "it was very cold; winter was coming. And all the birds flew away to the warm south, to wait for the spring to return. But one little bird had a broken wing and could not fly. He did not know what to do. He looked all round, to see if there was any place where he could keep warm. And he saw the trees of the great forest."

"'Perhaps the trees will keep me warm through the winter', he said. So he went to the edge of the forest, hopping and fluttering with his broken wing. The first tree he came to was a slim silver birch.

"Adam what's a bir tree?"

"Birch tree." He correctly gently "Remember the white skinny trees by the lake?"

She nodded, "The ones with high branches Joe kept trying to climb." She giggled at the memory.

"Those are it." He continued with his story.

'Beautiful birch tree', the little bird said, 'will you let me live in your warm branches until the springtime comes?' 'Dear me!' said the birch tree, 'what a thing to ask! I have to take care of my own leaves through the winter; that is enough for me. Go away.'

The little bird hopped and fluttered with his broken wing until he came to the next tree. It was a great, big oak tree. Surely he would let him stay?

'Oh, big oak tree', said the little bird, 'will you let me live in your warm branches until the springtime comes?'

'Dear me' said the oak tree, as well, 'what a thing to ask! If you stay in my branches all winter you will be eating my acorns. Go away.'

So the little bird hopped and fluttered with his broken wing will he came to the willow tree by the edge of the brook.

'Oh, beautiful willow tree', said the little bird, 'will you let me live in your warm branches until the springtime comes?'

'No, indeed', said the willow tree; 'I never speak to strangers. Go away.'"

"They're mean." Ginny whispered as her eyes flittered open. "Just like the boys at school."

"What boys?" Adam asked

"Joe said boys at school pick on him because he's smaller."

"Is that why you aren't excited about school?"

She nodded, "I'm small too."

"No one will bother you I promise." He made a mental note to talk to their Pa in the morning. He wished he could be there the next few years to look out for both of them. "Would you like me to finish the story?"

"Yes please."

"The poor little bird did not know where to go but he hopped and fluttered along with his broken wing. Presently the spruce tree saw him, and said, 'Where are you going, little bird?'

'I do not know', said the bird; 'the trees will not let me live with them, and my wing is broken so that I cannot fly.' 'You may live on one of my branches', said the spruce; 'here is the warmest one of all.'

'But may I stay all winter?'

'Yes', said the spruce; 'I shall like to have you.'

The pine tree stood beside the spruce, and when he saw the little bird hopping and fluttering with his broken wing, he said, 'My branches are not very warm, but I can keep the wind off because I am big and strong.' So the little bird fluttered up into the warm branch of the spruce, and the pine tree kept the wind off his house; then the juniper tree saw what was going on, and said that she would give the little bird his dinner all the winter, from her branches. Juniper berries are very good for little birds.

The little bird was very comfortable in his warm nest sheltered from the wind, with juniper berries to eat.

The trees at the edge of the forest remarked upon it to each other:

'I wouldn't take care of a strange bird,' said the birch.

'I wouldn't risk my acorns,' said the oak.

'I would not speak to strangers,' said the willow. And the three trees stood up very tall and proud.

That night the North Wind came to the woods to play. He puffed at the leaves with his icy breath, and every leaf he touched fell to the ground. He wanted to touch every leaf in the forest, for he loved to see the trees bare.

'May I touch every leaf?' he asked his father, the Frost King.

'No,' said the Frost King, 'the evergreen trees which were kind to the bird with the broken wing may keep their leaves.'

So North Wind had to leave them alone, and the spruce, the pine, and the juniper trees, and all of the evergreen trees, kept their leaves through all the winter.

And the evergreen trees have done so ever since."

"I like that story, Adam."

"Me too."

Adam turned the lamp down lower and the room was swept in shadow. Despite the heat his sister nestled beside him. He thought of all the times he would have complained and nudged her away from him in the bed. A pang of regret hit his heart…he thought of all the times he wished she'd go sleep in their Pa's room, or maybe even one of her other brothers room's. He regretted not cherishing the moments more. Late into the night he lay awake thinking about how much of his sibling's life he'd miss. Four years was a long time away and a lot was bound to change.