Alright so this chapters going to be in Adams pov and Joe's also…Beth has one at the end.

Disclaimer - I don't own Bonanza or Joe or Adam…only Beth and any OC that's on here.


Adam's POV

The ride out to the lumber yard was silent as I rode alone, Sport making no noise other then the sound of his hoofs hitting the ground and the occasional huffs coming from him. I pet his neck as my mind wondered to this mornings events. I haven't come to the understanding of why Joe would be so infuriated over something I asked almost every day.

"Adam hurry up would ya!" Glancing up at Thomas yelling over to me from where he was near a few of the others. Sighing I tied Sport to a post before walking over to help.

Joe's POV

"Joseph Cartwright. Do you mind paying attention to class?" Mr. Acers the annoying sub asked me for the third time today. I glanced up careful to keep the glare from my face.

"Yes sir." Was my only answer as I started on my work. I really wanted to tell him no but Pa would just tan my hide for being disrespectful. I saw again how the teacher looked over at me a bit irritated but I kept writing. Mr. Acers walked into the back room of the school building, I sighed gratefully, he was like hawk when around.

Working out a math problem I was distracted when a balled up paper hit me in the head landing on the desk in front of me. I oppened it and read

Joseph Francis Cartwright.
You need to cheer up, every since this morning you have been On the shoot! Or so it seems anyways.
First Adam, Now the teacher. Pull in your horns before you make the teacher mad and get a letter to Pa.
He want be so happy with that and your problem with Adam.

I looked up at my sister who was sitting next to Georgia White before jotting down a reply and chunking it at her head just when the teacher came back in. He watched as the paper fall to the floor and Beth slowly pick it up.

"Joseph & Mary Elizabeth Cartwright, Is there something the two of you would like to share with the class?" he ask looking from me to my sister as her eyes scanned over the opened note. We both remained silent. "Well?"

"No sir." Beth spoke almost in a whisper under is stern gaze.

"So the two of you say there is nothing on that piece of paper." He walked over reaching for it only to have Beth slip down below the desk. I watched him raise an eyebrow at her reaction. "Now now, you have nothing to hide" he held out his hand and she slowly placed the paper into his hand. We both watched as he read over the paper then looked down at both of us.

"You need to work on your pens man ship Joseph, and Mary Elizabeth work on proper words." He looked at us. I sent Beth a hopeful look that he said nothing more only for it to be crushed. "Also passing notes in class is distracting and against the rules, but I will let this one slide with only a warning to the two of you." With that said he walked up to the front of class setting the note on the desk. "Class dismissed for lunch."

I rushed out of the room ahead of Beth and the others grabbing my lunch and sitting under a tree where I normally sat. Andy my newer friend at school that just moved to town sat down next to me. Andy was a tan farmers boy with brown straight hair and brown eyes. He always ate more then I have at lunch so he eats half my lunch.

"Joe, you and your sister sure ain't getting on so well with the teacher." Andy looked at me for a moment. I just shrugged him off biting into an apple, it wasn't that we were getting off at a bad start with him…he just didn't like or me. "Your Pa's not gonna be to happy hu."

"Pa ain't gonna be brought into it, not until he sends a note home." was my only reply. I stubbornly ended the conversation. Dumping the other half of my lunch into his pail I walked off. Beth was over at Angel and Diamond feeding them oats. She would spend the whole school day there if it kept her away from Shelly Harness. The two despise each other, Shelly comes from a rich family in New Orleans and was sent to live with her aunt and uncle down here. She looks down on Beth cuz she barley wears dresses. They always kick up a row, even with Shelly being a year younger.

I went up the school steps and peeked into the class room only to see Mr. Acers looking over the work we just turned in. He looked up catching my eyes.

"Joseph, do you mind ringing the bell for class to start." He spoke not as a question it sounded more like an order. I clenched my teeth but went out and rung the bell while everyone filed by me inside. Beth, Georgia, and Andy brought up the rear.

"You just had to make us come in didn't you." Georgia asked, but I could see the playfulness behind her false sarcasm. Laughing lightly I followed the three in.

"Now that everyone's seated we will have a quiz. You will all have thirty minuets to complete it." Mr. Acers passed out the papers while groans were heard from the room.

Adams POV an hour after school got out.

Hopefully Hoss remembered to ride out to town and pick up Joe and Beth. I was at the lumber yard longer then I should have been, that happens when a few of the hands decided to quit. Riding into the yard I put Sport in the barn not seeing Angel or Diamond, Chubb was still here though.

"Hoss!" I yelled out.

"Dagburn it Adam, what ya yellin for?" Hoss spoke from behind me carrying to buckets of water.

"You were suppose to have picked up Joe and Beth an hour ago." I saw the realization flash across his face as he realized the time.

"Sorry Adam, I forgot what time it was I was caught up with the critters." He looked down and I sighed before walking over to Sport.

"I'll get them Hoss, don't worry about it. We just have to hope the two didn't decided to race home since no one showed up." Mrs. Jones wouldn't let them ride off with out one of us, or I wouldn't think. Taking Sport back outside I started towards town.

Beth's POV

I watched Mr. Acers make a quirley, I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose that he would smoke in front of children. And in the classroom at that.

Hoss needed to hurry up. Mrs. Jones left a list of who had someone to pick them up and who went home alone and left it with him. So currently me, Joe, and Shelly were all sitting inside the classroom waiting for someone to come get us. He wouldn't even let us outside and made us start our work here.

"Beth, how do you do this problem?" Joe asked frowning at his math. I chewed on my bottom lip thinking then showed him how to work it out.

"Have Adam look at when you get home to be sure I'm right." I said frowning. Math was my weak point in school, and Joe's problem was he just didn't like it. Adam was smart though so he would know the answer and be able to help him a whole lot better. Joe stubbornly shook his head.

"I don't need his help." was his only reply.

The door opened up not long after and all four of us in the room looked to see who it was. Me and Joe grabbed our book and lunch pails as Adam walked through the door.

"You must be Joseph's and Mary Elizabeth's…Dad." Adam shook his head.

"No I'm their older brother, Adam." He extended his hand shaking Mr. Acers.

"Nice to meet you Adam, I'm Josh Acers the substitute while Mrs. Jones is away." Adam nodded, before turning to us.

"Ready?" We both nodded but Joe's was more stiff. I raced ahead with Joe both of us saddling our horses, Adam walked out with a frown followed by Mr. Acers.

"Joe, Beth, Mr. Acers said the two of you were miss behaving in class." Adam said shortly while giving us an intense gaze. "He even had a note the two of you wrote."

"Aww Adam, don't tell me your gonna put your nose into mine and Beth's business!" Joe complained. "What evers on that note was between me and Lissy Beth," I blushed slightly at the name Joe gave me. I always found it embarrassing, even more so then my full name.

"Now Joe, I didn't read the note but if you are so defensive about whats on it then maybe I should." Adam spoke, I swallowed if I didn't get in trouble I knew Joe would. His half of the note wasn't exactly polite.

" And that's what I mean! Your a no good Yankee who has to place his nose where it doesn't belong." Adam raised his eyebrows but I could see the anger flaring in his eyes. Joe needed to shut his jaws. and quick before big brother tanned his hide along with Pa.

"Joseph that's enough from you. I don't know what I did but you will not talk to me that way." Joe glared up at Adam, he didn't once utter an apology just climbed on to Diamond.

Slowly I followed suit climbing onto Angel while Adam mounted Sport.

"Farewell Mr. Acers." Adam said while putting Sport into a trot.


What some things meant: Most was said by Beth.
On The Shoot ~ Looking For Trouble
Pull In Your Horns ~ back off, quit looking for trouble
Kick Up A Row ~ Create a disturbance
Quirley - Roll your own cigarette

Okay well I'm not totaly sure how well this chapter did, but if its good let me know. I've thought about re-writting it I had it wrote for a good week now along with the first chapter but still...