All Gods Children ~ Chapter 4

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review my story. I finally got to read them after the latest Fan Fic glitch. Thank you everyone, I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.

Chapter 4.

Sam was inconsolable. At first she had argued with Ben, nearly fell out with him, such was her anger at his refusal. He wanted her to stay and look after Annie, whose baby was due any time. Truth was, Ben didn't know what they'd find out there. Had he fallen from his horse?. Would they find him wet through from the storm, stone cold and lifeless. Ben was harsher with his daughter than he ought to have been but he too was fighting down thoughts of sheer panic. There was no logical reason why Adam was missing over night and as he, Hoss and Joe rode out he had a growing sense of dread at what they would find.

"I'll kill him, worrying us like this," Sam sobbed "he's always doing this Annie, and then he turns up without a care, not knowing the fuss he's caused."

Annie patted her friends shoulder looking less certain.

"Come on Sam, you're getting cold out here, let's go on in the house, get the fire going."

"He's not going to town on Saturday, that's for sure, that'll teach him." Sam said, tears streaming down her face.

"And he can forget about that barn build at the Peterson's place next week." She continued.

"Sam." Annie reached over and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Annie," Sam looked down at her hands.

"What am I going to do?"

Annie pulled her into a hug as sobs of anguish wracked her body.

~o~

When Adam came awake it was full daylight outside. He was used to rising at dawn and this state of things confused him for a moment until he remembered.

His first thought was Sam, he pined for her in this stark unfamiliar place, her voice, the smell of her hair as she tied a bandana around his neck in the morning. She always insisted he wear it since she learnt he was prone to throat infections. But it was a bit too red and a bit too something you should keep hidden in your drawer. He always removed it and stuffed it in his pocket once he was a safe distance from the house. He didn't want to hurt her feelings but it was red. Adam wasn't one for colours.

He wondered what she was doing now, was the family with her?.

Panic took him suddenly as he realised someone was sitting on his lap but he let out a sigh of relief when he recognised the dirty blond head of Ronald, their youngest child. Adam looked down at the angelic face, two fingers in his mouth, he was fast asleep. Adam marvelled at his long lashes and perfect red lips. How could Nash create something so beautiful.

~o~

"I'm sorry," Janet said "he was going to have a tantrum if he couldn't sit on your lap, I didn't want a screaming fit to wake you."

She was busying herself cleaning up after the party last night.

"What time is it?" Adam mumbled feeling tired, stiff and sore from long hours trussed up in a wooden chair.

"After 10," she said, going to the dresser and returning with his watch. She returned it to his breast pocket.

"How did you get that?" He asked.

"He was asleep at the table, and it was still in his hand. Ronald took it out of your pocket when you first arrived here, when you were, ye know, out of it. Anyway I recognised it as yours. It's nice, where did you get it?"

"My wife gave it to me."

"You married?"

Adam nodded "Janet, I need to get home. My wife will be up the walls worrying."

She thought a moment.

"If I untie you, you won't hurt me or Ronald?"

"Of course not," he told her sincerely. "I promise."

She frowned "I'll get into trouble."

Adam had no answer for that. He worried about that too. These people could easily loose their temper with her.

As he was thinking, she suddenly went to him and began loosening the ropes.

"Ta hell, always in trouble anyways," she grumbled as she worked.

"Janet!"

She jumped and turned as her father entered. "Get the hell in that kitchen and make some eggs," he yelled, cuffing her head severely as she passed him.

"Think yer smart don't ya boy, Marcy hold this gun to him whiles I re-tie his hands."

"Nash, I've been here a full day already, how about you decide what you want to do because I'm getting really tired of this."

Having tied his hands Nash threw him back in the chair.

"You shut the hell up," Nash told him " you think you're better than us, don't ya. I saw how you looked at my friends last night, looking down your nose at them."

"Looking down my nose?. Nash, I'm tied to a chair," Adam began to vent his pent up anger.

"You expect me to make nice with your friends, what kind of people are you. Your boy had to help me take a piss yesterday, your little girl was feeding me bits of bread. You left her in the house with her three year old brother to care for and a strange man tied to a chair. Look down my nose at you?. You disgust me," Adam was angry and had spoken too plain.

Nash lunged at him, pulling him to his feet and holding a knife to his throat,

Adam eyed the rusty implement pressed to his skin and wisely held his tongue.

"Now you listen to me Cartwright," Nash shook him slightly and the spike drew a spot of blood.

"I'm in charge here, you ain't on your ranch now, so you gonna give me some respect."

Adam grimaced as Nash pressed the blade, drawing more blood.

"Papa, the eggs are ready, Papa," she went to him smiling sweetly.

"Come papa," Janet pulled gently on his sleeve guiding him to the table.

"Ye see, I am a good father," Nash told him, as he sat at the table and began shovelling scrambled eggs into his mouth.

~o~

His wife Marcy still held the gun, nervously pointing it at his head.

"I'm tied now, couldn't you point that somewhere else," Adam asked, noting the safety catch was off.

"Des, maybe we should finish it," she said.

Adams throat went dry.

"What ya mean," he asked, licking egg from his knife.

"We could throw his carcass in the swamp, nobody would ever find him, nobody would ever know."

Janet stared at the table, unable to make eye contact with Adam.

Suddenly another voice made them all turn.

"I ain't havin no part in this momma," Kirkby stormed from her room.

"Me and Gary is leavin."

"No Kirby," tears began to well up in Janet's eyes. "Don't leave."

Kirby went on. "I have enough money and Gary has enough saved from the livery stable. We can't go on with this anymore momma, this was the last straw. You is on your own."

"Go then," her father growled, making Janet jump.

"Get the hell out and take that dead beat brother of yours with you."

She turned to Adam. "Sorry mister,"

Adam nodded to her as she turned for the door. Gary ruffled Ronald's hair and pulled Janet to him as she began to sniff. Then he shuffled awkwardly out after his sister.

Silence reigned for the minute after they left. Adam looked at Janet and felt her pain. Kirby and Gary were her family.

Ronald waddled over and pulled at her skirt, she ignored him.

~o~

Ben, Hoss and Joe arrived back late that evening. All were weary from a full day in the saddle. Ben looked as though he had aged ten years. Sam, as much as she wanted to quiz them up and down about where they looked, and whom they spoke to, she went to the kitchen first and put a flame to the big pot of stew she made earlier.

"We'll start out again first thing in the morning," Ben mumbled.

"We need to check those drains again, I still think he could have fallen in a drain," Hoss said.

"He's not five years old, how would he fall in a drain," Joe snapped, annoyed that they didn't check the cabins in the high country like he suggested.

"Joe, how'd you like it if I was ta rip off your head and spit in it, I've had just about a belly full of your sass all day," Hoss growled.

Joe felt that familiar flash of anger rise up within him but he actually held back knowing that Hoss was upset over Adam. Hoss expected a row but when it didn't come, he turned to Joe and put some bread on his plate.

"Here little brother, we're all hungry. That's what's wrong with us." He mumbled.

"Thanks Hoss,"

~o~

Sam brought the pot of stew to the table, put it down and ladled out three bowls.

Although they were hungry, they picked at the food, tiredness overtaking their need for sustenance.

"What was Sheriff Coffee doing?" Joe asked, as they ate.

Ben shook his head. "He was doing his best,"

"He was going in circles, getting his deputies to scour the brush bit by bit. We'd be here till next year if we searched like that."

"Yeah you could see Nash and the others getting angry," Hoss grinned. "I think our Sheriff is gettin old."

"That Nash fella was a great help organising the search parties Pa, you might give him a bonus when this is over."

Joe said.

"I'm going with you tomorrow," Sam suddenly blurted out.

"We've been all through this Sam," Ben told her with authority.

"He may be your son but he's my husband, I can ride out with you tomorrow or I can ride alone. Either way, I am going to search for my husband."

"And what about Annie, what if she goes into labour when we're all out searching for Adam," Ben asked.

"Sam is going to drive me to town first thing, I'm going to stay with my mother," Annie told them.

"I wish I could stay with you Annie, I have to search," Joe said.

She reached down and kissed him. "I'll be fine Joe. I'll be just down the road from Doctor Martins office. I'd actually feel safer in town." She smiled.

"Well I'm not happy about this plan," Ben frowned "it's not right."

"Well I'm sorry Sir, but I can't sit here another day just waiting for news. My whole life is Adam."

"Well when you snag your dress on a bush, and you fall from your horse and a piece of shard goes up into your eye, don't come cryin to me," Ben told her grumpily.

They all had to laugh a little at that.

"And when you fall down the well and break both your legs and meet with a scorpion," Joe continued the story with his usual devilish grin.

Ben grinned despite himself. "Now youngest, you're not too big yet for a swat on your rump,"

Ben turned to Sam then, "We'll wait for you to drop Annie to town, take your time, that's a bumpy trail," he told her.

"I only want to protect you Sam. I don't want you to come off your horse and got hurt."

"She's good Pa, she can ride a horse as good as any man," Hoss told him.

Sam ladled another heaped spoon of stew into Hoss's bowl.