-Part 3-
A couple of days later, The men had ridden into Virginia City to run some errands, leaving Sarah and Abbie alone back at the ranch-house. She had come to like Abbie over the time she had been on the Ponderosa. It was nice to have another woman there to talk to among all of the guys, and Abbie had sort of become like a sister to her. And, Abbie, having a younger sister herself, had taken a liking to the slightly younger Sarah as well. They were talking casually amongst themselves when Abbie heard someone riding up to the house from a distance. She stood up and approached the window.
"Abbie, what is it?" Sarah asked.
"There's someone riding up." Abbie said, looking out the window.
"Maybe Hoss and the others are back." Sarah said.
"No. It's not them." Abbie said as the men rode closer.
Abbie walked quickly away from the window and over to Sarah.
"Sarah, get out of here. Hide." she told her.
"Abbie, what are you going to do?" Sarah asked.
"Sarah, go." Abbie told her. Just then, the door was kicked in and two men walked in.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Abbie asked.
"Well, what do we have here? Aren't you a pretty thing? I'm Larry and this is Tim." said one of the men, apparently named Larry.
"Do you two know where you are? This is the Ponderosa." Abbie said.
"We know that." said the other man, Tim.
"Alright. Then, what's your business here?" Abbie asked.
"We're looking for someone." Larry said.
"And, by the looks of it, we found her." Tim said, looking at Sarah. Abbie followed Tim's gaze, looking at Sarah, who was standing there, pale as a ghost, her blue eyes wide.
"Sarah? What is it?" Abbie asked. Sarah didn't answer. She just stared at the men.
"What do you want with Sarah?" Abbie asked. The men just laughed.
"Abbie... those... those are the men who killed my parents." Sarah said quietly.
"She's right." Larry said, "She saw our faces. We can't let her live." The men approached them.
"Stay away from us." Abbie said, putting her arm out in front of Sarah in a protective manner.
"Please don't. I won't say anything, I swear." Sarah said.
"I don't think so." Larry said, grabbing hold of Sarah. Tim grabbed hold of Abbie.
"No! Please!" Sarah said.
"Don't you touch her!" Abbie said, "Let me go! Let me go right now!"
"Maybe we'll have some fun with you two before we kill you." Larry said.
"Leave her alone. Please. She has nothing to do with this." Sarah said. Just then, Ben walked in the front door, gun drawn.
"Let those women go." Ben said.
"There's only one of you and two of us. You may get one of us, but the other one of us will get you." Larry said as he and Tim drew their guns. Little Joe walked up behind Ben.
"You better put those guns down. It's two on two now." he said.
"Do you really want to take the chance on hitting one of these women instead of us?" Tim said. He and Larry held the women in front of them.
"Or maybe we'll just shoot these women right now if you don't put your guns down." Larry said, holding the gun to Sarah's head.
"Alright. Alright." Ben said, laying down his gun. After a moment of hesitation, Joe did the same. Hoss and Adam, meanwhile, came in through the kitchen and snuck up behind the men, hitting them, knocking them out cold. The two men fell to the ground, unconscious.
"Adam." Abbie said, turning around to face him.
"Abbie, are you alright? Did they do anything to you?" Adam asked, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"I'm alright, Adam. But, Sarah..." Abbie started to say as Sarah, clearly upset, walked quickly out of the house.
"Those are the men that killed Sarah's parents." Abbie said.
"I'll go talk to her." Hoss said, following Sarah outside.
"Joe and I will take these two men to the sheriff. Adam, you stay here with Abbie." Ben said. Ben and Joe draped the men over their horses and rode off to Virginia City.
"Abbie, are you sure you're alright?" Adam said, brushing a few strands of Abbie's blonde hair away from her face.
"Yes." Abbie said, smiling, "I'm fine, Adam."
"Good." Adam said, kissing her.
"I'm glad you're alright." Adam said after they broke the kiss, hugging her tightly.
Hoss followed Sarah outside. She wasn't sure exactly what she doing, she was just so upset wanted to be by herself.
"Hey! Sarah!"
She could hear Hoss calling after her. She looked quickly behind her and continued walking. She didn't want to see anyone right now.
"Sarah! Wait!" Hoss yelled. She continued walking. Hoss was faster than her, however, and was quickly able to catch up with her. He gently grabbed her shoulder.
"Now, Sarah, just what do you think you're doin'?" he asked. Sarah stopped, standing completely still, her shoulders drooped.
"I... I don't know." she said quietly.
"Sarah, I know you're upset, and, dad burn it, I don't blame you." Hoss said, "But, if there's anything I can do... I want to help you." Sarah turned around to face him. Her eyes were moist. He could tell she had been crying.
"Hoss, those were the men that killed my parents. They were going to kill me, too." she said.
"It's alright, Sarah." Hoss said, placing hand on her shoulder, "Those men aren't gonna be botherin' you anymore."
"I know... it's just... seeing them again..." she said.
"It must have been mighty hard for you, Sarah." Hoss said, "Don't you worry. Those men ain't gonna hurt you. Pa and Little Joe done took them off to jail. You don't gotta worry about them no more."
"It's... it's not just that. They would have killed Abbie, too, and all of you. I put you all in danger. It was so selfish of me. How could I think they wouldn't try to find me?" Sarah said.
"Now, Sarah, ain't none of that's your fault, you hear me? None of us blame you. All that's important is you're alright." Hoss said.
"Oh, Hoss." she said. She started crying, wrapping her arms around Hoss, her face buried in his chest.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Sarah sobbed. Hoss put his strong arms around her, trying to comfort her.
"It's alright, Sarah. If you need to cry, just cry." he said gently. After a few moments, she stopped crying, and was able to calm herself. Hoss slowly let go of her, andshe stood there, her blue eyes fixed on him.
"Now, there, see, don't you feel just a little bit better now?" Hoss asked, smiling at her.
"I feel much better now. Thanks to you, Hoss." she said, finally smiling.
"Aw, I didn't do nothin' special." Hoss said.
"Don't say that, Hoss. You are the sweetest, gentlest person I know." she said. Hoss just smiled, looking to the ground for a moment. Sarah looked at him for a moment, then leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Hoss just stood, staring at her, his blue eyes wide, his mouth hanging open in surprise. Sarah smiled, a slighy flush on her cheeks as she twirled a few strands of her blonde hair around her finger.
"No, that's not quite right. This is what I wanted to do." she said, leaning in and kissing him on the lips.
"Hoss, since I came here, you've always been there for me." she said when the broke the kiss, "You are the kindest person I've ever met."
"Sarah, you're real important to me." Hoss said, "If anything would've happened to you... I don't know what I'd have done."
"It means a lot to hear you say that. Hoss, I... I think I'm in love with you." Sarah said.
"I think I feel the same way about you, Sarah." Hoss said.
"I'm so glad to hear you say that." she said, smiling. Hoss leaned in and kissed her. When they broke the kiss, she hugged him tightly, wrapping her thin arms around his strong neck. She felt so safe wrapped in Hoss' s strong arms. When they pulled away, they stood looking at each other for a moment before walking back to the ranch-house.
