TURNING BACK

Overheard

Chapter 1

A sharp, cold, damp wind was blowing when Ben, Hoss, and Joe wearily dismounted and led their horses into the barn. All three men were so tired they didn't notice the two strange horses in the last two, usually unoccupied, stalls.

Joe was the first to notice when he finished with Cochise and stepped into the aisle. He glanced over his shoulder when he caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye, and then stopped dead. His eyes widened as he slowly turned around, and then took a hasty step back when the horse came toward him and poked his huge head over the stall wall. He stared into the animal's placid brown eyes for a few seconds then cleared his throat.

"Pa!" he called softly, not wanting to startle the horse.

His father's tone was slightly irritated when he answered, "What!"

"Uh…could you come here please!" Joe asked, keeping his voice low, and then turned his head toward the next stall when he noticed movement in that one too.

Ben came hurrying toward his youngest son with Hoss following out of curiosity. He almost ran into his father when the older man stopped in mid-stride.

"What the hell?" Ben said under his breath staring. Both horses had their heads over the walls and they looked almost exactly alike, their blue-black coats shone with health and meticulous grooming.

"Where'd they come from?" Hoss said as he stepped around his father and went toward the second stall. He carefully lifted a hand to gently rub the horse's forehead and the animal's nostrils flared as he blew out a deep breath. Then he reached out to nudge the big man in the chest, almost knocking him back.

"Ain't he somethin'!" he enthused as he reached with both hands to scratch behind the horse's ears.

Ben came to stand in between his two sons. "I guess we must have visitors," he said, and then turned away. "And whoever they are they're not from around here, I'd remember seeing those two before." He was hurrying up the aisle with Joe right behind him.

Hoss only paused long enough to give both horses a quick pat, and then hurried away. He caught up with the other two when they were going in the front door. He closed the door quietly and they stood there silently, staring at a pile of luggage grouped to the side of the stairs.

"Pa…" Joe started to say, but his father gestured for him to be quiet as the sound of a man's deep voice reached them from the second floor. They couldn't understand what he was saying, but Hoss and Joe's eyes widened when they realized it sounded familiar.

Ben slowly started up the stairs, not making a sound, his head tipped to the side as he listened intently to that voice, and the two younger men were right on his heels.

When they reached the hallway they could understand what was being said, but now the voice was female and they slowly made their way down the hall toward a bedroom door that was slightly ajar. They stopped right in front of it, listening to the voices that were punctuated by the rhythmic sound of the bed creaking.

"What I don't understand," the woman's voice was tight, sounding like she was in pain. "What I can't believe is that no matter how many times we do this it just doesn't get any easier!"

The man's voice was low, deep, and calm. "I know it hurts dear, but you have to hold still," he said and the three glanced at each other with their mouths open. That voice was definitely Adam's.

"I'm trying…" the woman ground out and they heard her grunt in pain. "God, when is this going to be over!"

"I'm sorry, but not for a while yet, you're not ready," Adam said low and she made a frustrated sound as the creaking started again.

"You know you don't have to suffer in silence, no one would hear you if you yelled. And even if they did no one would think any less of you for it."

"No! You know I can't…if I start I don't think I'll be able to stop," she said and the pace of the creaking increased.

"Take my hand then," Adam offered, but she refused that too.

"I broke one of your fingers the last time and I'm not going to do that again!" she insisted and Adam laughed.

"Are you sure? That might make you feel better."

The woman gasped with restrained amusement. "Adam Cartwright, I swear if you make me laugh again I will knee you in the head!"

The three men in the hallway were still standing stock still, shocked by Adam's unexpected return and by what they were hearing.

"You know, I think you really would," Adam's voice was still tinged with laughter.

Ben was the first to move and he took a step forward to put a hand on the door.

"Smart man," she agreed and gasped again. The bedslats stopped creaking and they heard her breathing heavily. "You better try again, I think we're almost there."

"I certainly hope so," was Adam's answer as Ben slowly pushed the door open.

The woman was on the bed, propped up by pillows and her knees were raised. A sheet covered her, and Adam was folding it back as he bent over, his dark head disappearing in between her legs. Her hands gripped her thighs tightly and they could see her distended abdomen harden as another contraction started.

She let her head fall back and she groaned slightly until the contraction eased. Wearily raising her head she took a deep breath that caught in her throat when she noticed the three men standing in the doorway out of the corner of her eye. She slowly turned her head to stare at them for a moment then clapped one hand to her face and reached down to tap Adam on the head with the other.

"What?" he said, but didn't straighten up. She tapped him on the head again.

"What?" he repeated and this time she smacked him.

"Ow! What the hell did you do that for?" he said as he straightened up. "You don't want to break my finger, but you don't mind giving me a concussion!"

She gestured toward the door. "They're home!" she choked out and covered her face with both hands. "I hope it really IS true that you can't really die of embarrassment," she continued as he slowly turned his head toward the door.

The three just stared at him and their mouths fell open when he dissolved into laughter. "Oh God," he gasped and she let her hands fall away to glare at him.

"Adam," she said through clenched teeth, "go talk to your family and shut the door on your way out!"

They could see he was making an effort to stop laughing as he moved across the room and the three backed up when he stepped out into the hall, closing the door firmly behind him. He looked at each face for a second and laughed once more.

"Hi, how are you? What's new? Did you miss me? Sorry I don't have a lot of time to talk right now," he said quickly, grinning at their startled expressions. Joe was the first to find his voice.

"Is she your wife?" he blurted out and Adam shook his head.

"No Joe, I just enjoy delivering babies so much I picked up a pregnant woman on my way here," his voice dripped with sarcasm. He was still grinning as he shook his head again, "Of course she's my wife, you idiot!"

Hoss's bright blue eyes were shining with happiness as he suddenly reached out to pull Adam into a bone-crushing hug.

"Pa, just think!" he enthused. "Your first grandchild is gonna be born right here and right now!"

Ben and Joe were smiling wide smiles when Adam gasped, "Hoss…a rib's about to crack…" The big man quickly let him go and he bent over with his hands braced on his knees as he took a few deep breaths. His father and brothers laughed, but stopped when they heard a quickly muffled pain-filled groan from the bedroom.

"So she won't yell, huh?" Hoss asked, his open face showing he was worried.

Adam cleared his throat, "No, she won't, but …" he was saying when they heard her again.

"Son-of-a-bitch!" she ground out and Adam rolled his eyes as he straightened up then just had to smile at their startled expressions.

"However, she DOES swear," he said with a resigned air before looking at his father intently. "Pa, I hate to disappoint you, but this is not our first child…not by a long shot." Ben was recovering from his initial shock and his eyes had started to shine. He was about to speak, but Adam interrupted him.

"I better get back in there, I'm sure she's about ready to start pushing, so you and Joe can do me a huge favor by going down to the kitchen and rescuing Hop Sing from the clutches of our other children." He paused to glance back at the door when they heard a gasp followed by what sounded like a growl.

"I haven't heard any noise from down there so they're probably behaving listening to him tell a story. On the other hand they could have him tied into a chair and are torturing him. You never know," he continued

"How many do you have?" Joe asked.

"Why spoil the surprise? Go look," he answered, grinning wickedly as the two men almost ran toward the stairs.

"Oh, and Pa?" he called after them so they stopped and turned. "I probably don't need to remind you about this, but be sure to establish your authority with them immediately."

Ben nodded giving his son a sharp look, and then turned to hurry after Joe. Hoss was about to follow, but Adam stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"Oh no, YOU can meet the kids later. Right now I can use another pair of hands in there," he turned to reach for the doorknob.

"How come you didn't send someone for Doc Martin?"

"We don't need him," Adam said seriously. "I just need you in there because you never know what might go wrong." He opened the door and went in, dragging his reluctant brother with him.

The door closed firmly behind them.