Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Bonanza or anything affiliated with it.

Joe woke up the next morning and realized with a heavy heart that today was the fifth day since he struck the deal with Will, and his heart grew even heavier when he remembered the empty promise he gave to the boy the night before. Joe pulled the covers over his head not wanting to face Will, or the long day ahead, but the grumbling in his stomach forced him to change into his clothes for breakfast. When he stumbled downstairs to eat, he saw that his family was waiting to eat, though it wasn't just Joe that they were waiting for: Will was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Will?" Joe asked as he stepped off the last stair.

Adam turned around in his seat, "Is he not still sleeping?"

"Wake him up, will ya?" Hoss asked, "The food's gettin' cold."

Joe turned around and walked back up the staircase. When he reached the guest bedroom Will was using towards the end of the hall he looked in the open doorway to find that the room was empty and the bed had been made. Shock hit Joe head-on and his stomach flopped. "Will?" He called vainly, hoping beyond hope that Will was somehow still in the room. Joe bent down on his hands and knees to look under the bed but all he saw were the floorboards. Will was gone.

Joe stood up so fast that his head started to spin, but he didn't care. He turned on his heel and was about to run back down the stairs to alert his family, but as he passed Adam's room there was a movement that caught his eye. He nearly fell over his feet turning around on a dime to enter his brother's room where he saw Will staring at the small collection of books Adam had. "Will!" Joe spoke, relieved.

Will turned around and a faint blush colored his cheeks, "Sorry, Joe. I was going to walk down to breakfast and then I passed Adam's room and saw all the books, so I wanted to see what they were and I just lost track of time."

Joe thankfully sighed, "I thought you left for good when I didn't see you in your room."

"Don't worry, Joe," Will smiled half-heartedly. He walked over to Joe and clasped a hand on Joe's shoulder, "I never go back on a promise."

Joe feebly smiled back. "C'mon, Hoss is hungry for some breakfast." The two went down the stairs together and promptly sat at the table, much to Hoss's relief.

As they were eating, Ben spoke up, "Will, Joseph, I have a few supplies that I need in town and I'd like for you two to pick them up for me."

Will grinned, "Sure thing, Mr. Cartwright."

Ben smiled, "The money is on my desk in the alcove along with the list of supplies."

As Will and Joe trotted onto Main Street, Joe handed Will a few coins, "I'll meet you inside the Silver Dollar. I'll go fetch the supplies; there isn't much- enough to fit in my saddle bags."

"Don't be too late," Will grinned as he held up the coins, "or my eyesight might be too blurry to see you." Joe laughed and the two waved each other off before they went their opposite directions.

Will entered the Silver Dollar in a good mood, the only thing weighing down on him were the coins in his pockets. He took no time in associating himself with the worn bar table and the nearest barstool, "Bottle'a whiskey!" He called to the barman with a smile. It was that smile that caught the eye of one of the saloon girls.

Annie abandoned the card game she was watching and sat in the stool next to Will. "Why, hello. I haven't seen you in here before."

Will turned around, his bottle forgotten on the table. "And I you. My name's Will. Will Carder." He flashed another wide grin as he stuck out his hand.

"My, you sure are bold once you've had a drink in you," Annie smirked. She met his hand with her own, "are you sure you can handle that whole bottle?"

Instead of shaking her hand as Annie had expected, Will turned her hand over and kissed it, his eyes trained on her face the whole time to watch her reaction, "Miss, I haven't even takin' a sip yet."

Annie's breath hitched at Will's actions and she silently berated herself. He could probably tell she was new to being a saloon girl. It wasn't long though that Annie got a hold of her bearings and decided to play her own little trick. "Then you're a natural big talker." She leaned close enough to Will's ear that her eyelashes gave him butterfly kisses. "Though you're probably even greener than I am," she whispered.

"Uh-uh, ma'am?" Annie got the stutter she was looking for. "Ma'am, it's best you not sit t-too close. I-I haven't taken a bath i-in a few da-days." Will heard a few men snicker next to him at the bar, so he sat straighter and cleared his voice, "I've been handlin' cattle the past week and I don't want you t' spoil your pretty dress with all the dust that's on me."

Annie supported her head in her hand that leaned against the tabletop, "You handle cattle? Sounds fascinating."

"It's more hard work than anything, ma'am."

"Oh," Annie waved her hand in the air, "you don't have to call me ma'am. My name is Annie."

"Annie," Will breathed happily, "My name's Will."

The girl giggled, "I know, you've already told me."

Will tried to play off Annie's comment to the best of his abilities, but a blush snuck its way up his neck and into his cheeks. "W-When do you get off? I can walk you home."

"I get off at eight."

"I'll be here," Will grinned wide. He opened his mouth to say something else, but he was cut off by his own name being called from behind him near the saloon's entrance.

"William Carder, you're under arrest for ranch thievin'."

Will turned and saw Sheriff Roy Coffee with his hands on his hips, one of them near the handle of his gun, just in case. "What? I haven't stolen anything, where's your proof?"

Roy turned his head to look over the batwing doors to look at a figure outside to which he nodded his head. He stared into the street for a few more seconds until he looked back at a shocked Will. "Someone tipped me off today and presented me with enough facts that have me convinced to lock you up until the circuit judge get's here in a month."

Anger and betrayal coursed through Will like his own blood that was pumping quickly in his veins. His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. In a loud voice he responded, "Well, why doesn't he want to show his face? It's not like I don't already know who lied to me. Why don't you show yourself, Joe? I know you're out there!"

Sheriff Coffee quickly walked over to Will and handcuffed him behind his back before Will could grab for the gun at his side. "Now stop this and follow me. Struggling will only get you nowhere." He shoved Will to his feet and led him out of the saloon. The men in the bar stared for a moment but then went back to their beer. Annie started at his retreating figure even after he was out of sight.

When Will was led out into the street, he saw Joe looking straight at him with his shoulders slumped and his hands in his pockets. "You're a coward, Joe," Will seethed as he and the Sheriff past him. Joe didn't put up a fight, he just kept staring at Will with sad eyes. "You're a no good liar too. And to think I trusted you."

Joe closed his eyes in pain, "I did this for your own good. You'd get shot someday if you kept this up," he mumbled.

Something snapped inside Will. His eyes grew livid and his hands itched to punch Joe square in the nose. "I told you I wouldn't do any more'a that while I was working on the Ponderosa. Why didn't you trust me? I trusted you!" He bent to spit on the dirt in front of Joe's feet. Roy shoved Will on at a quicker speed towards the jail, but it didn't deter Will from turning around and yelling one last time. "I trusted you, Joseph Cartwright! I trusted you!"