Authors note:

I do not own Bonanza, just the plot and my OC.

I know Bonanza is set in the mid 1800's. I wanted to try and set this story for the Present.

Sorry if this offends you, if you think it will then don't read it. I wrote this out of enjoyment,

Hope you enjoy too. This is my first BZ fic, Please be nice to me!

What i meant in the Summary, of been having a 2nd daughter, i meant kind of like a 'adopted daughter'. I wrote the summary last night, I know ben doesnt have a daughter. i didnt really know how to word it. But i hope this helps.

( i wrote this note to warn everyone that it is set to present. It will be a Hoss X OC.)

Sorry for the weird spacing, Im my open office it looks alot better, but when i went to upload it here it didnt look as great. Oh, And sorry for the Capitlization and other errors. Chapter 2 will be better!

Thanks for all the reviews so far! :)


"Pa, there's a letter came for you." said a young man with dark brown wavy hair as he approached an older man with silver lined hair.

"Thank you Joe." Said the man as he took the letter from his youngest son.

" What does it say Pa?" Said Joe impatiently.

His father looked at him, lifted the unopened letter, tapped it with fingers and replied to his son, " Does it look like I would know? I cant see through the envelope."

" It looks like it's from someone named J.A. Hart." Said another young man dressed in darker clothes.

"Adam! How'd you know that?" Said a third boy much bigger than the other two.

" Its on the back of the envelope Hoss." said Adam as he looked back down at the book he was reading.

Hoss raised his eyebrows in understanding of Adam then looked at his Pa.

Feeling all the eyes on him, Ben, looked up.

" James Andrew Hart is a very good-old friend of mine, we served together some at sea. He married a pretty woman, I think she had one surviving child. A girl I think."

His sons perked up at the word 'girl'.

"So, I suppose you boys want to hear this letter?"

Adam, Hoss, and Joe nodded at their father as Ben looked back at the letter and read it to his sons.


" Dear Ben,

You know you were always such a good friend to me. You were always there when I needed you. My dear friend and confidant, I must ask one more

thing from you. I will just be Frank with you. I am Dying. My Darling Nancy died about 7 years ago, Leaving me with my daughter, Felicite.

She has no other Connections, no Interests, No close friends, She is rather a 'lone wolf'. Ben, when I Die, Will you take care of Felicite? Please reply soon, I'm

Sorry, I don't have much time. If you do not take her, she will be out on the streets, my luck has finally run out my friend. I'm dying and the collectors are already

trying to Evict a nearly dead man.

Hope to hear from you soon

~ J. Andrew Hart."


Ben sat down in his chair and closed his eyes.

Adam,hesitantly,spoke first, " We would have to equip her with some 'womanly things.' if she is here."

Joe began to laugh at his older brother, " What would you know of 'womanly things' Adam!"

" Pa, if she does come..." Hoss was broke off by his father.

" if? IF! It's Andrew's Last wish, We will take care of her!" He looked at his sons.

" But pa... Where we gonna put her?" Hoss finished.

Joe began to smirk, but was nudged in the rib by Adam.

Adam began to scratch his chin.

" Well, Hoss does have the biggest bedroom."

" Yes, but I don't think you boys should share a room with a girl." Ben leaned forward.

" Well we can't put her with the other ranch hands. There all guys." Joe leaned against the Fireplace.

"We will think of something." said Ben as he put his hands on his knees.

" Pa, Maybe she could have one of our rooms and we could build her a small one onto the house!" Adam gestured.

"That's not a bad idea!" Joe smiled.

"Now, who's room she gonna stay in?" Said Hoss

" Hoss, you know women, they like to have 'room' in a 'room'." Said Joe.

" He's right." Adam replied " We don't know how much junk she's going to bring with her. She should have the biggest room... Just in case."

"It's Hoss's room. What do you say son?" Ben looked at his middle son.

" Well, if its not for too long. I suppose it would be OK. I'll Sleep down here for awhile." Hoss smiled at Ben.

" Thank you son." said Ben as he went to his desk and wrote his Reply to Andrew.


Time passes: A week later in a small-country town in North Carolina, Felicite sits at Andrew's Bedside.*


" Papa, there's a letter for you. " Felicite sat down and grasped her father's hand.

" Fifi who is it from?"

" B. Cartwright. Postage Virginia city, Nevada."

" Read it to me dear."

"Yes Papa."


"Dearest Andrew,

It fills me with woe to hear about your position! My thoughts and prayers are with you and your daughter. Yes, My friend, I will take care of Felicite.

When you pass, I have made arrangements to be contacted, so I can bring Felicite safely here. Thank you for being a tremendous friend to me.

It was an honor to serve beside you. I pray for a safe , peaceful passage for you too my friend,

May we meet again, someday, dearest friend.

~ Ben Cartwright."


"Papa... What does this mean?" Fifi said shaken.

" Fifi, Cant you see I'm Dying? Where are you going to go after I'm dead?"

" But papa! I can stay here... I'll get a job." Fifi began to cry.

"Fifi! Stop it, I know what I'm doing. Ben has a lot of land, 3 boys, If you cant get one of them, surely you can get another Rich'in." Andrew winked at his daughter, Suddenly his breathing became more shallow.

"Pa-Papa?..." Felicite, Scared, Could not stop crying.

" I Love...Fifi...love... Fifi." Andrew began to gasp for air.

Felicite held both of Andrews hands as he drew his last breath.

" Oh papa." Felicite Leaned over her father and kissed his forehead. As someone began knocking harshly on the front door.

" Hart! Your going to have to leave! Now!" said a man in a dark business suit,as Felicite swung the front door open and punched the man. The man looked of shock as Felicite yelled.

" You just could not wait! He's gone alright! Thanks for speeding up the process!"

" Gone?" said the man as he regained his footing.

" Yes Dumb-head he's dead! My papa!" Felicite fell to her knees in big sobs.

" your going to have to leave." said the man harshly, still rubbing his jaw.

" Good! I'm leaving! Where do I go?"

" I don't know, don't you have arrangements?" said the man as he stepped over Felicite and into the house.

He noted Andrew laying on his bed, now passed away and contacted the town hall about the matter. They sent an immediate phone call to the Mr. B. Cartwright.

A few minutes later the man came back.

" Yes, oh grave one?" Said Felicite still in hurt-shock.

" Get your things, I have to drive you to the city and your getting on a plane and going to Nevada."

" When am I leaving?" Felicite now more shocked at leaving.

" Immediately after the funeral, this afternoon."

"So soon?"

" Yes, now get your stuff, after his funeral were heading straight for the airport." The man turned around and left.

With her father in the mortuary, her small home seemed so cold, So desolate.

Tomorrow would be scary, and hard. She would bury her father today and by tomorrow, she would be away from everything she knows, and with strangers... to live.