Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. All original characters and plot are the property of the author. No copyright infringement is intended.

AU of sorts. I tried to stick to canon with few exceptions that I will point out at the end of the chapter they're introduced in. I would really appreciate reviews. I know I've got a lot to learn in writing both technical and stylistically. Let me know what you think! Thank you!

With a groan, Charles settled down into the blue velvet sofa. Caroline, who had followed him into the front parlor, handed him a bone-china cup of warm, cinnamon milk. He gave her a grateful smile and took a quick sip. The dark night howled with wind, the crash of lightning flickered on the hills outside.

Years ago, such a storm would keep him up all night agonizing over the beating his crops would take. Wondering if he would be able to salvage enough to make it through the year. How fragile those days were! But how wonderful.

Now, sitting in the cozy, finely furnished room, he and Caroline were a far cry from the little wooden house at Plum Creek. He could still smell the raw planked walls and feel the heat of the centric, river rock fireplace. Now the house he sat in boasted plastered walls, banistered stairs and intricate woodwork. The house he had always dreamed of giving his sweetheart Caroline. He looked over at her as she sat, stitching at a shirt with a humble smile on her face. The years had pressed the lines of worry and joy into her skin and her pale hair was streaked with grey. His own curly locks had silvered completely.

"You still worrying about Laura?" he asked.

She looked up, "Of course. She's only just had a baby a week ago."

"And you were there for three days straight. Now it's time for grandma to have a rest." Charles added.

For a moment Caroline just concentrated on her needlework then spoke. "She's very anxious Charles. She worries over that child."

"So does Grandma."

Caroline gave in to his teasing all too easily with a nod. "So does his namesake."

She smiled at Charles for a moment then her face fell as her eyes glanced through the window behind him. Reading the sudden seriousness her eyes he turned also.

"What's the matter?"

Large rain drops plodded the glass but it was impossible to see into the night.

"Oh, I thought I saw something." She squinted.

Lightning flashed, flickering visibility on the yard outside for a split second. He saw something too. Didn't he? Something large, dark and moving. Charles stood up and moved to the window, waiting for the next flash. Suddenly it came, and with it, a large figure directly in the window. A black muzzle snorting onto the glass. They both gasped. Caroline jumped to her feet.

"What is that? A bear?"

Before he could answer, a loud neigh sounded over the storm. The lightning lit the yard again and they could, indeed, see the outline of the animal walking towards the front of their house.

Caroline nervously walked to another window facing the front yard, "Charles, I think there's someone on that horse."

She turned to see him taking his shotgun out of the closet and checking its chambers. Folding her arms apprehensively she looked at him, "Be careful Charles."

He nodded sternly and moved to the door. A gust of wind blew rain into his face and he squinted against it. Dim light from the windows barely outlined the large horse walking directly towards him. There was something on its back but it was not the upright figure of a person. A brighter light shone out from behind him and he turned to see Caroline holding a lantern high. The animal plodded determinedly, stopping a few feet from the steps.

"Hello?" Charles called cautiously, his gun gripped in both hands. No answer came except the pawing of a front hoof testily. Slowly, he took a step onto the porch.

"Charles…" Came his wife's wary voice.

He put up his hand and then took another step. Then another. Reaching the stairs the horse hadn't moved. He could see it better now. Mud covered most of its body, even its snout. From what he could see, its slick black hide reflected the light like jagged lightning bolts running down its muscles. A bulge of sprawling, muddied fabric draped over its back.

Charles took a step down. With each step the horse seemed to get larger and larger. It had to be the largest draft horse he had ever seen. Its eyes almost blended into the shadows of its coat as he came closer calling again.

"Hello?"

The same silent response held. He edged up to the animal and it shied away from him nervously. Lowering his gun and holding it in one hand, he held up his free hand calmingly. He touched its quivering neck lightly and soothingly. Carefully he brought his attention to the back of the animal, his hand moving gently towards the shoulders. He lifted up an edge of the material, revealing a pale hand, fingers entangled in the black mane. Pulling further, the course, tarpish blanket fell to the ground, leaving the slumped body of a young woman. Her dress in tatters and boots scraped and dirty. The skin of her cheeks were cold and colorless. Long strands of wet blonde hair stuck to her face.

Quickly bringing his fingers close to her lips, he felt the slight heat of shallow breathing. He had almost thought her dead.

Charles turned to glance back at Caroline who was on the porch now. Behind her, their son James was pulling on his suspenders over the shoulders of his long underwear. "What's going on Ma?"

Charles turned back and touched the girl's shoulder gently, trying to rouse her to no avail.

"It's a girl!" He called, blinking through the assaulting deluge. He tried to pull her hands free, but they held fast. "James! Bring me a knife. She's caught tight."

By now he was soaked to the bone.

James bounded off the porch and over to him, pulling a pocket knife from his trousers. After some cutting, and dancing from the horse, they pulled the girl loose and Charles carried her quickly into the house followed by James. Caroline closed the door behind them.

From the stairway, two girls, fifteen and eighteen looked on in their night dresses. Awakened by the commotion they stared on with curiosity. The younger one watched with wide, brown eyes while the older girl pushed past her, her long brown hair coming out from under her night cap.

Charles laid the limp body carefully on the sofa and Caroline came over and began to assess the stranger.

"Good heavens she's colder than ice!"

She pulled at the clumps of black mane still held in the stranger's fists. "Grace, stoke the fire. Cassandra bring some blankets. We must get her warm right away." She ordered the younger girl then older respectively.

They scampered obediently. Cassandra ran up the stairs, nearly pushing a third girl who had been standing in the shadows at the top of the flight.

"Carrie, help me. We need to get her out of these wet clothes." Caroline called.

Carrie showed no urgency, her pretty face holding a slight frown as she trudged down the stairs.

Quickly Charles turned to James and said, "Let's see to the horse. We'll have to put it in the foaling stable."

And the men made themselves scarce.

The horse hadn't moved but its head hung low, physically drained. Its muscles quivered as if pushed for a very long time. James hurried up to it, reaching for its bridle. The horse jerked its head away from him skittishly and braying a loud warning.

Charles pulled James back from the agitated animal. "Go open the barn, leave him to me."

James nodded and ran through the puddled yard to the large barn roughly twenty yards away.

Charles tried to reach for the horse again and it backed away anxiously. Quickly, he decided to get a strong rope to lasso and lead it to the shelter of the barn. He began to walk towards the barn and to his surprise, the horse began to follow him at a distance. Waving at James to continue on, they all entered the barn.

The foaling stall at the end was much larger than the other stalls and Charles opened its door, watching the large black horse follow cautiously behind him. James, who was holding a lit lantern quickly filled a wooden bucket with a few handfuls of grain. Then he handed the bucket to his father who shook it at the horse and set it down in the stall. He then came back out and stood out of the way with James. They both watched as the horse moved into the stall, sniffed at the grain and began to nip at it hungrily. It's enormous nose barely clearing the rim.

The men looked at each other unbelieving.

"Well, let me try to take off the bridle and you the saddle, carefully." Charles said and approached the now distracted giant. He studied the horse in awe. He couldn't see over its back which dwarfed the saddle James was now struggling to remove. It only stomped its back hooves testily but it was obvious it was exhausted and famished.

Gently, Charles removed the bridle and liberated the horse's jaws. He turned in time to see James pull the saddle forcefully and it slid off, knocking him down into the straw on the floor.

"Are you OK?" Charles hurried to him trying to lift the saddle off of him.

One of the saddle bags burst open, a burlap sack falling out and spilling yellow, polished pebbles onto the floor. The men looked at each other.

Hesitantly Charles picked up one of the nuggets.

"Pa…" James who was twenty now looked to him questioningly and Charles, who had no answers, shook his head. It was gold. Charles notice a tiny circle with an 'R' impressed into it like a cattle brand. He picked up the nuggets and put them back in the bags. "I don't know son."

They saw to the horse's food and water and brought the heavy burlap sack back and saddle bags out into the rain and to the house.

They waited on the porch briefly until called in by Grace. The fire was revitalized and burned brightly. The men came in, drizzling water onto the entrance rug. Caroline and Cassandra knelt by the sofa where the young woman laid, eyes still closed but some color returning to her cheeks. Her tangled hair now pulled back and being braided by Cassandra exposing a strikingly beautiful face.

Caroline was tying the drawstrings of a white cotton night dress and then spread a blanket over the girl. Sighing, she remarked, "She's no older than Carrie."

"Who is she Pa?" Cassandra said, finishing the braid.

Concern filled Charles face, "I don't know darling but we'll find out soon enough."

Now Caroline stood, smoothing back some escaped strands of her own hair, "She's cut all over her legs, like they rode through a bramble field." She fussed in a motherly tone. "I cleaned them but they'll need to be looked at. The phone line is out from the storm."

"When is Albert getting back?" Grace asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"His train comes in Monday in Springfield." Replied her mother who then called through the house. "Carrie? Where is that water?"

The girl appeared walking in from the kitchen with a glass in her hand.

Charles felt tired and chilled. It was past midnight. "I'll go for Doc Baker first thing in the morning if you think it'll keep."

Caroline nodded and knelt down again beside the girl trying to get her to drink, "She has only a low fever. Doc Baker would only tell me to watch it and keep her wounds clean."

With a stern face Charles put a hand through his silver curls. "Alright. Everyone back to bed."

"Oh Charles, we should put her in one of the beds so she isn't disturbed." Caroline said.

He nodded, "We'll put her in Carrie's bed and Carrie can bunk with Grace and Cassandra."

Until now, Carrie had been a silent if not unwilling party to the night's happenings. "No! I have to get up in the morning and teach for Laura! Besides, Cassie snores and Grace talks in her sleep! Let her stay in their room!" She moaned.

They all looked at her surprised. "Carrie, they have to get dressed for school too…" Caroline started but James spoke up.

"She can stay in my room. I don't mind the couch. I'll get my things for tomorrow." He volunteered.

"Thank you James." Charles said. James turned and went up the stairs.

The night soon fell quiet inside the house and the storm lightened outside. The crackling of the fire in the fireplace feigned to a hiss.

NOTES:

There is obviously some AU/Cannon changes in the original storyline of Little House on the Prairie here.

This story honors the series for the most part up through Season Nine. The three 'Season Ten' movies are discounted as this is happening in their place or close to it. (Any changes are hopefully obvious in the text and I will highlight them at the end of the chapter.)

Albert didn't die.

All you Carrie fans don't get offended yet. I feel Carrie was a complex character with a lot of motivation behind her actions. Give it time.