I do not own Bonanza or any of the original Cartwright characters.

Star's Hope

Chapter one

Ben was sitting at the outside table when five year old Star walked out of the house and over to where he sat. He set his pencil down as the young girl climbed up his lap. As important as the paperwork was, he never could turn the child away; she had him wrapped around her little finger. He was both excited and petrified at the thought of her growing up. The boys had been hard enough to raise, but a girl? Then again, so far, he still had Brooke. Good Lord willing, she'd be allowed to help his raise this child. After all, he figured he was getting to old to raise a child by himself.

"Pa, why did Adam go away?" Star asked as she tilted her head back, so she could see into her father's eyes.

Ben sighed. Star had taken to Adam from the moment she and Brooke had been brought to his home by a Paiute brave. The two had been quite close. Life was life though, and now Adam was out to sea as Ben had once been. "He was, by far, old enough to follow his dreams. Don't worry though, he'll write." Adam had said he would, and Adam was a man of his word.

"Why did Little Joe and Rosa move?" Star didn't like her brothers were leaving; it frightened her.

Ben gave his daughter a hug and, once again explained. "Married couples don't always live with their parents. Besides, they're not that far away. Don't they come to visit often, and don't we do the same?" Just then Hoss and Candy walked up. Star flew off her father's lap and over to the two men. Ben burst out laughing, and they chuckled, as she wrapped an arm and a leg around Hoss' left leg and Candy's right one.

Hoss looked down and pretended to be confused. "Now, ain't this gonna be interestin'? Candy and I working the ranch tied together like this?" Naturally, Candy just had to play along.

"Don't know, won't be too bad I reckon, as long as we don't step into too many mud puddles." That brought giggles from the five-year old child. However, just like all fun, hers came to an end when her mother walked out of the house and scolded her.

"Your toys still on bedroom floor. You not clean like I said. Back in there now!" Brooke's hands were upon her waist as she looked at her daughter. She did not wear an angry look, just one that said 'listen to me NOW.' Her daughter did. Once she and her mother were back inside, the men started laughing.

"Feisty little thing, ain't she?" Hoss asked as the door shut behind his stepmother and stepsister.

Ben glanced over his shoulder and back at Hoss, "No worse than you were at that age." He figured all children had an endless supply of energy; he just wished it didn't leave as one got older. Oh, he wasn't slowing down that badly yet, nowhere close; still, he was grateful it wasn't just him and the child.

Hoss chuckled and replied, "I wasn't talking about sis. I was talking about Miss Brooke!" That caused Ben and their foreman to roar with laughter. Brooke was known for the ability to put her foot down, and put it down hard at times. Then again, on the occasions she did it, she'd had just cause for the action.

"So," Candy asked as he looked at Ben, "are you going to the festivities tomorrow?" It was Independence Day, and he couldn't see Mr. Cartwright not going; still, he had to ask. One never knew when someone else would surprise them and do something unexpected. Lately, his boss seemed to like to do that, pull surprises that is. Maybe, he got a kick out of seeing the reaction other people gave him. Maybe, he was just trying to deal with being a father to a small package of instant energy. Candy wasn't really sure of the reason; he just knew his boss had been pulling one surprise after another lately. That being the case, Candy figured he was justified in double checking with the man.

Ben nodded. "Brooke would never let me live it down if I sent her and Star into town to enjoy the celebration while I stay here," he said as he tapped his pencil up and down upon the papers he was looking at, "and worked on these contracts. In all honesty, I have a couple of weeks before I have to have them ready. I just hope this deal doesn't fall through. We need to be able to sell that timber." The last deal he had fallen through at the last minute; it had been quite irritating at the time. Okay, so it had turned out to be a good thing as the next buyer offered more money than the first one had.

While Ben, Hoss and Candy talked, Star listened. The young girl had climbed up on a chair near her window and managed to get the window open up just enough to be able to hear the men talking. As the upcoming celebration was discussed, the young child smiled and closed her eyes. Pictures of the last event they'd gone to while in town dance around in her mind, along with Hoss letting her ride on his broad shoulders and Candy buying her some treats; that had been the funnest part of all. She hoped this celebration would be just as fun as that one had been. "Star!" Her mother's stern voice brought her out of her thoughts as she flew off the chair; her mother had had to step out of the room for a moment and there were still a couple of toys on the floor.