Bonanza
Fan Fiction
BEN
I do not own the copyrights to Bonanza
THE HANDS OF TIME
Reminder: I have Joe and Alice married sooner than the show did, and Celeste and Britta are my characters.
Scene 7
Melissa raked through the barn looking for metal to melt down, wire to cut to a proper length, and any other item the barn, attic, or even spare room - which had turned into a catch-all over-sized closet would toss her way. Whatever she managed to find she spread out on the table while Ben was studying the books he had in front of him.
"In my day you didn't need all this paperwork and jargon just to raise and sell cattle!" Ben had done his best not to explode, but finally the absurdity of it all caused him to blow. "Cattle are cattle, beef is beef on the table. Those darn animals don't read, write or even give a hoot about crossing t's and dotting I's. And what pray tell is wrong with a cattle drive!" Ben pushed away the books still growling.
"In my book nothing." Melissa did her best to explain how the laws were slowly changing back - closer to the ones he knew. "But it takes time." It was the wrong word to use and she watched Ben sink down into a chair with his shoulders sagging and his face drawn downward. "I'm sorry, Ben." Melissa left her work and went to kneel by his side and laid a hand on his knee. "I really am putting all my effort to get you back to your sons and their wives."
Ben looked down at Melissa's upturned face. He could tell she was telling the truth and that her heart went out to him. Without thinking he lifted a strand of her auburn hair and looked at its layered look -which hung just below her shoulders blades. As the man stroked the strand of hair he was shocked to have a connection come over him - one he thought long since dead. Putting her hair behind her ear he ignored saying anything about the feeling and simply stated he was simply used to ranching one way and was now being told he had to fill in more paperwork than he ever thought possible. He then laid his hand over hers and apologized for blowing.
"I guess you deserve to bellow. You've actually done quite well - all things considering." Standing up she said she'd was going to attempt to make a smaller -hand held machine- because the large one was clearly not within her abilities to make just then.
"Will a small one do any better?" Ben eyed her with concern showing on his own face.
"Actually, yes, it will allow us to ride around the curve." That was as clear as mud to Ben, but he didn't argue. They both stood up and started to go back to what they'd been doing when they smelled smoke. Melissa ran out the door first -the barn was on fire!
The fire was no small thing either as it was quickly climbing the walls of the building. Ben couldn't see how two people were going to save the structure, but he grabbed a bucket nonetheless. However Melissa ignored the items and unwrapped a hose near a fence - hollering for Ben to drop the buckets and help her. Ben may not have used a hose but he had seen one in a town on a business trip, so the item was not totally unfamiliar and he - willingly- helped unwind it and took the nozzle as instructed and got it close enough to the structure to spray water on it as soon as Melissa flipped a switch.
The water from the hose was far more efficient than the bucket method Ben thought. It went higher, stayed far steadier, and - in the end - saved far more of the barn than even he could have with his three sons.
"I wonder how it started." Ben mused as they wrapped up the hose back up."
"My money's on McGee." Melissa spoke dryly.
"Think he found out I'm not your husband?" Ben did not like the idea someone would hurt a body over such a asinine reason.
"While it's a possibility, my vote's on him not liking the fact you allowed my name to be on the documents - alone. I mean we haven't been here long enough for him to find out anything else." Melissa put back the switch's cap back on. Ben thought that reason absurd and said as much. "I think you're right."
"Think he'll strike again?" Ben asked knowing the answer already.
"Yup. But let's not worry about it." It was only when they went in did she suggest they stick together -at least until they could get some hired hands." She' suggested but then added, "Of course, the other thing we need to do is to get back to our projects ." Ben agreed.
Ben sat behind a desk which -surprisingly- was a very good replica of the one he'd used so many times in the original house. The laws allowing you only x amount of cattle per acreage was stupid, but at least he saw the branding style he was used to was allowed. While Ben read through the books Melissa spent her time sorting the material for her own project - and it was maddening.
The project's smaller pieces either broke too easily, or didn't want to come apart in the first place. The bigger ones refused to cut properly and the red, yellow and blue lights didn't want to co-operate in their proper line-up. So, intent was she on helping Ben get back home that she lost track of time -and her temper.
"Grrr." She growled louder than she meant to as she tossed a yet another broken wire onto the table. It was then she felt a hands on her shoulders and turned to see Ben looking down at her. "Sorry, Ben, didn't mean to lose it. I just want so bad to help you get home and the pieces just aren't co-operating…" After three weeks of dealing with business being wrapped up, getting Ben used to the twenty-third century, doing her best to comfort him when he'd fallen into any kind of deep mood, and now attempting to build a hand-held time machine - Melissa could no longer hold her own tears back. Ben's heart went out to her.
"Melissa." He got the lady onto her feet and turned her to face him as he tilted her head up. "You're doing just fine. It's not your fault -any of it." Still Melissa's tears run down her face and he held her close repeating softly it was not her fault - any of it.
The tears finally ceased and Melissa pulled back. "You're right. It's just so hard when I want things to be different for you." She looked into his eyes and managed to smile. "Good thing this ranch was for sale - at least you have something familiar to work with." Her tired look was now accompanied with an honest attempt at smiling.
"You'll find a way, don't worry, but until you do I don't suppose you'd mind getting me something to eat?" Ben wasn't about to step inside a kitchen to cook -he didn't care what century it was. He didn't have to voice that opinion for Melissa to get the message.
"Sure…" Her eyes twinkled, "… but you'dbest be glad my Aunt Diane isn't here."
"Why not?" Ben wondered what was so funny.
"She'd tell you to cook your own dinner or starve." Her eyes kept on dancing while Ben lifted his eyes heavenward and let his mouth say a silent thank-you; it was all Melissa could do not to bust up laughing as she went into the kitchen. While she was in the kitchen cooking Ben stood in the open doorway thinking of Melissa.
I've been married three times, had a son by each one of them, and have adopted a son. Two of my sons are married and most likely Hoss is marrying. I'm too old to worry about romance -especially now. But… His ears picked up Melissa's whistling my world's been turned upside down and in three short weeks I am beginning to feel a bond with someone I did not think possible.
She's been around the block more than once, and yet I still have her beat. She's old enough as not to be holding her breath for anymore children and yet young enough one could come. The man closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Unbeknownst to him Melissa was having similar thoughts. I saw his eyes, I felt what was in his hands when he stroked my hair and laid his hand over my own. I wasn't meant for remarrying. I told Kelly yet his eyes, his smile, and laugh. In these past three weeks he's not blamed me once for his predicament, he's not climbed into a bottle, and he certainly hasn't tracked down the nearest bar. Sighing, Melissa wasn't sure she was ready to go 'there' and so she simply set the table and said nothing when Ben came in to eat.
Scene 8
Smoke filled the back room as Taylor talked to Cogsworth. The topic was the new owners of the one thousand square miles of prime ranch land. Taylor was telling his boss it was descendants of the original owner and that the barn had not been destroyed.
"They saved the barn?" Cogsworth seethed. He was shorter, fatter, and balder than even McGee. "That barn holds the evidence of all my business deals -deals McGee knows nothing about." The man fumed and then started grinning with a glint in his eyes. "Do they blame McGee?"
"I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised. After all the man's cold reception to any woman buying land - or having her name on papers without her husband's - is very well known." Taylor saw no need to hide that obvious fact.
"Make another strike at that barn, and make sure McGee's blamed for it." Cogsworth rubbed his hands in glee.
" Will do." Taylor left only caring about his paycheck and nothing else.
Scene 9
Adam did his best to keep his mind off what Flying Eagle had told him - as did Celeste - the wedding plans helped, but every now and then they'd both glance at the sky hoping against hope -not to mention praying like mad- Ben would simply walk back into their lives. Hoss noticed the glances, but -naturally- misunderstood what they were really thinking.
"Adam…" Hoss laid a hand on his older brother's shoulder. "I'm sure Pa can see us, and like you said none of us can just stand still wishing things were different. Britta suggested we put a picture of Pa at the front of the church as to allow us to feel him near us."
"Yes, of course." Adam managed to smile and kept Flying Eagle's words to himself -as did Celeste.
Celeste kept her head turned as she tended the flower bed wishing she had her old equipment. Maybe, then she could track Ben down. As much as the desire was a good one Adam's wife had no way of turning it into reality. Therefore, the woman focused on making sure the flowers stayed looking nice for the upcoming reception.
Rice was thrown everywhere as Hoss and Britta came out of the church. People kept throwing the white stuff as the newlyweds climbed into the buggy and only quit once they'd driven off. Little Joe and Alice walked up to Adam and Celeste.
"Think Pa knows Hoss is married?" Little Joe asked as his arm was kept around Alice -who was sure the next Cartwright child would be born within the week.
"Sure, why not?" Adam did his best to grin hoping his father been pulled forward in time -not backwards.
"Let's go back to the Ponderosa and get things ready for tonight." Celeste urged and found her suggestion eagerly taken up by Alice.
