Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, but I came up with the story.
Little Joe was lying in bed, waiting. Today was Adams last day at home. He was going away to college tomorrow, leaving the Ponderosa and leaving Joe. At least that was what it felt like to him. He didn't always get along well with his older brother, who seemed to know everything better, but he knew he could count on him when it was important. When Little Joe had started school last month and the other boys had teased him about being the smallest boy there, Adam had pointed out, that he might be smaller than the others, but he could outrun them all. Adam had taught Little Joe how to throw a fishing line and how to knot the tightest knots in the world. He had read him bedtime stories and taught him how to swim in the lake. And now he was going away. Joe felt the tears coming and blinked rapidly to stop himself from crying. He had cried himself to sleep every night for the last week and he didn't want to do it again tonight. He had to stay awake till Adam went to bed. But Adam was still up, with Hoss and with Pa and Maman and Joe could hear them talking.
Maman went to bed first. She always checked on Joe, so he feigned sleep and she lightly kissed him on the forehead and slipped out of the room again. A little while later he heard Hoss coming down the hall to the room they shared. Joe closed his eyes and pretended to sleep again. Hoss undressed quietly and went to bed. Little Joe lay very still till he heard his brothers breath becoming slower. He was so tired but he had to stay awake. He could not light the lamp or Hoss would wake up and tell him to go to sleep, so he sat up in bed and threw away the blankets. It was rather cold in the room but as long as he was uncomfortable he wasn't going to fall asleep.
Finally he heard Pa and Adam getting up, checking the blinds of the windows and coming down the hall. He heard Pa saying "Goodnight my son." in his deep, gravelly voice and Adam answering "Goodnight, Pa." Of late it had usually been Adam and Pa, who had stayed up longest. It had been a good feeling, lying in bed and hearing their voices, knowing that all was well. Joe could not imagine what it would feel like, when Adam was away. He screwed up his face against the pain that welled up inside him and pressed his face against his knees. Why did he have to go? Why so far away? And how could he leave Joe? Joe, who needed him here? It was not, that he didn't love Hoss as much as Adam. Hoss was always kind and gentle and much more patient with Joe than his older brother. He was never cross with him and would good naturedly play along in Joes schemes. But it was Adam that Joe looked up to, the one he went to when he had a problem or a question. And he always knew the answers. Exactly why Adam had to go to a school was something Joe didn't understand. He already was the smartest person Joe knew. Maybe he just wanted to get away from them? Or maybe just from him? Because Adam wanted to be alone often and sometimes he would sent Joe away. But not this last week. He had been very nice to Joe this last week. So maybe he wasn't leaving because of him? He had to talk to Adam and to ask him.
Joe listened. All was quiet. Pa and Maman were no longer talking. Hoss was breathing slowly and deeply. The house around him creaked as it always did at night. Joe slipped out of bed and tiptoed to the door. He slid out of the room, creped to Adams room and opened his door. "Adam?" whispered Joe.
Please r&r. I'm planning more chapters, please let me know if you like it so far.
I'm not a native speaker of english, so if you see mistakes of whatever kind, point them out to me. Thanks!