When will the fighting end:

Joe was walking down C Street when he saw the sign. His twin was kept after school for arguing on the playground again. He saw a poster for something called a Burlesque Show that was coming to town and he was going to see it. Jax caught up to him a minute later.

"So what happened?"

"Note home," Jax said not concerned. "What's that?"

"Something called a Burlesque Show. "

"Why does she have all those people on strings?" Jax asked.

"No idea, better get home though. What are you doing about the note?" Joe said.

"Miss Jones forgot to tell me to have someone sign it, so I'm not," Jax said.

"Lucky."

"Yeah," Jax said laughing.

The twins arrived at the Ponderosa only ten minutes late, but they rode their horses hard to get there. Hoss noticed when was taking their saddles off,

"Who was kept after?"

"Why would you ask that?" Jax asked innocently.

"Musta been you," Hoss said laughing. "Note?"

"She forgot to ask for someone to sign it," Jax said with a devilish smile.

"Get in there before Adam realizes you're late," Hoss said shacking his head.

"Hi Adam," Jax and Joe said as they walked into the house.

"Little late," Adam said looking up from the books.

"Everyone was talking about the Burlesque Show coming next month," Joe said.

"There's a Burlesque Show coming here?"

"Yeah. Do you think Pa will let us go?" Jax asked excitedly.

"No," Adam said.

"Why?" Joe asked.

"You're too young," Adam said.

"Why?" Jax asked.

"You just are. You two have chores to do and I have work to do," Adam said knowing they would drive him crazy with questions.

"Ok, Adam." They both said throwing their books down on the settee.

"Books in your room," Adam snapped.

They smiled and ran upstairs. Knowing it annoyed Adam when they did that.

"I want to go," Joe said.

"Me too, maybe Pa will feel different."

"Probably not, but we're still going," Joe said determined.

The next day at school everyone was talking about the Burlesque Show. Sheriff Coffee said no child under the age of fifteen was allowed at the show.

"You know when the Sheriff does that it makes me want to go twice as bad," Joe said.

"I don't because the sheriff said no, so did my Pa," Andy said.

"Meaning you're afraid," Jax said

"Take that back Cartwright," Andy growled.

"Sorry, can't. It's the truth," Jax said smiling.

"Sometimes I wish you won't a girl."

"Anytime you think you can take me let me know."

"So, you're not going to defy Sheriff Coffee and you know it," Dennis said.

"I guess you don't know us very well," Jax said glaring at him.

"Well, not many people are as crazy as you," Dennis said. He'd been sore since he lost the bet last spring.

"You mean brave," Jax said smiling.

"No stup…" Dennis said but flinched when Jax pulled back to punch him.

"Worried that I was going to hit you?" Jax asked innocently.

"No I've been taught better than to hit a girl even, trash like you."

That did it Jax was on top of him in less than a second, punching him.

Joe pulled her off, held her back. and told her to stop.

Miss Jones raced out and demanded they stop. She saw Dennis's face.

"Jacqueline? Did you hit Dennis?"

"I did," Jax said without shame.

"Miss Cartwright, I have had enough of your fighting. You are not to come back to school until I can meet with your father."

"He's out of town for two more weeks." Joe said miserably. Adam was going to kill her when she got home.

"I guess she can stay home for two more weeks."

"Miss Jones," Jax tried.

"No my decision is final. Come inside so I may write a note to Adam."

"Can't Adam…"

"Would you like me to add that you defied me as well, Jacqueline?"

"No ma'm."

Miss Jones wrote the note and sealed it. Jax felt like Miss Jones was sealing her doom.

"Joseph please take your sister home."

"Yes, ma'm

Joe and Jax saddled their horses and rode home as slowly as possible

"I don't want to go home," Jax said with a pit in her stomach. Adam was really going to be angry; she didn't think she would sit comfortably until Pa returned.

"Me neither," Joe said he hated when his sister got in trouble.

"Adam's going to kill me," Jax said tears starting to fall.

"Maybe not," Joe said.

"You're dreaming. Do you think she put the time on the note?"

"Probably, why?"

"Well since I won't see the light of day for a while, I was thinking we could go fishing," Jax said

Joe laughed, "Why not?"

They fished until Hoss found them by the lake.

"Do you know what time it is?" Hoss asked.

"Ten minutes before my death," Jax joked.

"It's not funny, Jacqueline. You're three hours late."

"We know, we didn't want to come home," Joe said.

"What did you do?" Hoss asked with concern.

"Jax can't go back to school until Pa talks with Miss Jones about her fighting problem," Joe said.

"Adam is gonna to tan ya good you, not to mention what Pa's going to do," Hoss said looking at his sister with compassion.

"That's why we went fishing first, might as well have some fun before he kills me," Jax said.

"I don't know if that was a good idea," Hoss said.

Adam was vowing to tan the hides off them both the moment they walked into the house. Three hours late, what were they thinking?

"WHY ARE YOU SO LATE?" Adam yelled the moment they walked into the house.

Joe handed Adam the note and they both ran to their rooms seeking sanctuary.

Adam read the note three times, before it totally sunk in.

"Hoss, does this say what I think it does?"

"Yeah, Jax can't go to school until Pa comes home."

Adam sat at the desk and took a deep breath.

"Adam?" Hoss asked.

"I need to calm down Hoss before I talk to her. I want her to explain why she is always fighting"

"So you're not going to tan her?"

"Oh no, she is receiving a bare bottomed belt tanning before our talk."

"Oww", was all Hoss could think.

"How about Joe?"

"He deserves a tanning for being late, nothing like she is going to get."

After ten minutes the twins hadn't heard a word from downstairs. Jax went into Joe's room.

"Joe, he hasn't called me yet? What does that mean?"

"I don't know, but when Pa makes us wait it's because he is too angry to deal with us."

"Adam, never has that problem."

"I guess he does tonight."

Adam made them wait another ten minutes until he was ready to deal with them.

"Joseph get down here."

Joe walked out his room and Jax followed.

"I said Joseph, not Jacqueline," Adam said silkily.

"Why?"

"Because I am punishing you separately," Adam said.

"Why?"

Adam walked up the stairs grabbed his little sister and gave her five very hard smacks as he escorted her to her bedroom. .

"What happened with your sister today?"

"Dennis called Jax stupid and she acted like she was going to punch him, he flinched and called her trash. Jax took offence and pounded him good. I pulled her off Dennis," Joe said not looking up once.

"Why didn't you come straight home?"

"Jax was afraid and I wanted to give her time to calm down. When she's angry or afraid she doesn't think before she speaks. I know she is in enough trouble already."

"Joe you just talked yourself out of a tanning," Adam said.

"Really?" Joe said smiling.

"Yes. You are restricted to your room for the next two weeks."

"Yes sir."

"Send your sister down."

"Adam…"

"Little Joe, she deserves everything she is going to get tonight."

Joe knocked on his sister's door.

"Please, just go in there and take your punishment."

"He didn't tan you?"

"No."

"Good, I would have felt bad if he did."

"You better get down there."

"Do I have to?"

"Don't make him come up and get you."

Jax walked down to the barn with a belly full of fear. She knew Adam was going to tan her good.

"Jacqueline?"

"I punched Dennis," she said.

"I read that."

"Why?"

"He made me mad," Jax said honestly.

"Is that a reason to fight?"

"No," Jax said miserably.

"I agree."

"Jacqueline petty coats off and pantaloons down." Adam pushed her dress about her head at that point he watched her bottom turn the bright cherry red from his belt.

"Room now!"

Jax ran up to her room, sobbing.

Adam walked back in the house and looked at his brother.

"At times I wish Pa never left the Ponderosa," He said honestly as he put his belt back on.

"I know," Hoss knew Adam hated to punish Jax, but at times she made it impossible not to.

"Hop Sing will you please take dinner up for Jax? She'll not feel much like sitting with us tonight. Joe needs to eat upstairs too, because he is being punished"

"Yes, number one son punishment was hard and needed."

Hop Sing walked in and Jax were still crying from Adam's tanning.

"Number one daughter very bad girl, brother not like tan hide. He sent supper up."

"Thank you," Jax said.

Both children ate their suppers grudgingly but knew Hop Sing would throw a fit if they didn't eat.

After they were finished eating and the tray was taken. The need to see each took over. Both were on the roof before they knew it.

"Let's go in your room," Joe said knowing the shingles didn't have the padding his sister needed tonight. Once inside he hugged her.

"Pa's going to give me twice as much." Jax said tears pouring.

"I know."

"Joe, I wonder what other punishments Adam has in store for me."

"I guess we'll just have to see."

"I hope it doesn't have anything to do with riding a horse."

Joe laughed and said,

"I better get back to my room. Like Pa, Adam feels the need to lecture after he tans you. Night sis."

"Night."

Adam sat downstairs thinking about the twins. He couldn't understand why Jax was always so eager to fight. According to Miss Jones's note Jax almost started two fights in the school yard that day and the day before she had a screaming match with another boy. Jax hardly ever fought with girls but was quick to fight the boys. He knew his sister had a short temper, but the dares and fights were becoming unbearable. It hadn't gotten any better after her brush with death on Dead Man's Cliff. If anything the fighting part had gotten worse.

Adam came into Jax's room a few minutes after she had finished talking with Joe. Her eyes were still puffy from crying and she was lying on her stomach. He could tell she was pretending to be a sleep.

"Jax," He said.

"Adam I want to sleep."

"But we need to talk. Sit up and talk to me," Adam demanded.

Jax gingerly sat up glaring at her brother. Adam laughed at the look she gave him.

"You try to sit after the tanning you just gave me," Jax grumbled.

"Well deserved."

"You didn't have to tan me that hard," Jax whined. Again Adam laughed.

"Why are you always so quick to fight?"

"No one accepts me for who I am," Jax said.

"What does that mean?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"What wouldn't I understand?"

"I always have to prove myself."

"Why?"

"To be treated as Joe's equal."

"Why do you need to be Little Joe's equal?"

"Every boy in that school respects him, but not me. They say she's just a girl and can't do this or that. I'm Joe's equal and if I have to fight every boy on the playground I will."

"Jax how many of those boys fight back?"

"None, again proving I'm not Joe's equal."

"Did you know boys shouldn't hit girls?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Supposedly they are stronger than us."

"Not supposedly, they are."

"Adam, are you as strong as Hoss?"

"No."

"Have you ever had a fist fight with him or someone who was bigger or stronger, like Hoss?"

"Yes."

"Why weren't they fair fights?

"Because he's stronger than I am," Adam said. His sister's reasoning was astonishing and infuriating. She could usually make him see her point, even if it went against his deep-seated beliefs. Plus he was supposed to be the one giving the lecture not receiving one.

"Do you still fight them?" Jax asked

Adam sat there not wanting to answer. Knowing it would prove her point.

"Adam? Do you still fight them?"

"Jax, it doesn't matter what I do."

"Adam, you're my big brother, I supposed to follow your example," Jax said with her impish grin.

Adam couldn't look at her, she had him there and she knew it. He sat there trying to think of what to say.

"Adam…"

"Jax we are talking about you. "

"Adam, please answer my question," she begged.

"Jacqueline, I don't provoke people to fight me to prove myself. How many times have you seen me fight someone?"

"I don't know."

"Sis, I need you to stop fighting. Be you and don't worry what others think."

"Adam I can't stop fighting because no one will dare me anymore. They know I'll win. So what am I supposed to do? I can't be me, unless people treat me the same as Joe."

"Jax you are a beautiful intelligent girl who doesn't need to change a thing about who she is. You're not Little Joe. You are you. If someone doesn't treat you as an equal or with respect they are not worth your time or friendship. Do you understand?"

"Yes Adam and I will take that into consideration."

"Jax, fighting is never the answer. You have never seen me start a fight. I may have defended myself sometimes, but I never go out looking for a fight. That is what you have been doing more and more. It's unacceptable and unnecessary."

"Yes, sir."

He walked over and gave his little sister a hug and said,

"I love you and I will tan your hide every time you do something wrong. As you said earlier I am your big brother and I am supposed to show you an example. If I let you get away with fighting, and being kicked out of school am I setting a good example?"

"No," Jax said miserably.

"Night sis," Adam said smiling.

"Night and Adam, I love you too. Even though my backside is on fire tonight," Jax said laying down and started rubbing her backside for effect.

Adam left the room laughing.

Adam was finally starting to understand why Jax felt she needed to fight, but how could he stop it? The first place he was stopping was the next room.

Joe like Jax feigned sleeping.

"Little Joe, I know you're awake. Sit up and talk to me for a minute."

Joe sat up.

"Little Joe, do you know why Jax is so fast to fight?"

"The guys treat her like a girl and she gets mad."

"So, you've known this all along?"

"It's not hard to figure out," Joe said, "they used to dare her, but she scared everyone too much last time. Plus Doc Martin's blistering lecture while Jax was recovering was more than enough to make all of us think twice."

"If you knew why she was fighting, why didn't you stop it?"

"Adam, I try to stop her when I can. Trust me; I'm sick of her fighting. Most of the time I end up getting involved it the fight and when I get home I get tanned."

"You never thought to say anything to myself or Pa?"

"We don't tell on each other."

"Little Joe, you two are the most stubborn children in the world when it come to that."

"Now that you know, what are you going to do?"

"Little Joe, Jax needs to learn her limitations. She also needs to realize that she isn't as strong as she thinks."

"Adam, don't be to mean about it."

"Little Joe, I am never mean."

"Tell her backside that."

"Night, Little Joe," Adam left the room laughing.

"Night Adam."