Guns and Switches

3rd story in the Alexandra Series.

Summary: Alexandra has some life lessons to learn. Alex tries to persuade Adam of her reasons for needing a gun. Adam has a little persuasion method of his own in mind. But there is another life lesson for Alex, one that may prepare her for a special but difficult journey. Marty and Adam start courting. Warning: CP of a minor in some chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bonanza, or any of its characters. David Dortort and Fred Hamilton created them and played with them for 14 years. The series is owned by NBC.

Warning: CP of a minor in this chapter.

Previously:

Marty snapped a look at Alex's panicked expression, and for a brief second, she thought Alex may have planted the evidence after all Marty did say she would take the fall for Alex, if she had too. Nooo, she wouldn't set me up, she's jist hiding it, delaying the inevitable. "Alex," she whispered from the side of her mouth, "what are you….Your dad's going to think I…. Alex?" you wouldn't… she silently pleaded with her eyes.

Alex cocked her head to the side, "Huh" then realising what the situation may have looked like and what Marty may be worried about, she whispered back and smiled, "Don't worry, Marty, trust me."

Chapter 7

The Truth Is A Far Far Better Thing.

Alex smiled, jumped up and ran to her father and wrapped her arms around the top of his legs and hugged him tight, "Hey, Dad!"

"What's going on up here, you two finished that story yet?" Adam searched their faces for a clue as to the earlier tears that he had heard. "It's a pretty sad story in the beginning, but I hear tell it turns out all right in the end."

There was one thing that Adam was now certain of; the tears were not about an altercation, both Alex and Marty looked like the cat that swallowed the canary, whatever it was about they were in it together. In many ways, that pleased Adam, yet piqued his curiosity.

Marty went to stand, "Actually…"

Before she could get another word in, Alexandra rushed to her side and nudged her back on the bed and the hidden curtain, "Yeah Miss Marty and I, we've been doin a lot of talking, Dad and well…Well we didn't actually get to the story yet. We could do with a bit more time, say about another hour?"

"No, I don't think so Alex, it's getting late, maybe another night, come on little Miss, go put your night shirt on."

"Yes, I'll help Alex," offered Marty.

Alex scowled at Marty… "You promised," she whispered.

Marty scowled right back, "I'll help you get ready for bed then, perhaps, you can have that talk you wanted to with your daddy," she firmly suggested.

Just then Ben popped his head in the door. "Adam it's getting late, I've told Hope Sing to prepare the guest room. Miss Strawn I think its best you stay the night."

"Oh" Marty looked around, "No, that's very kind of you Mr Cartwright, but it's a light enough night for me to ride Dreamer back into town."

"No it's isn't, Marty. You'll stay; I'll drive you back in the morning in the buggy. Dreamer needs a little more work."

"Oh Pish, Adam," said an annoyed Marty. She stood up to face him. "He was fine this afternoon."

Adam raised an eyebrow.

Marty raised one back at him.

"That was this afternoon; a stallion that hasn't been night tried is likely to shy. You will stay here."

Marty smiled sweetly, "Very well, how could I refuse such a polite offer…" then whispered, "Mr Bossy britches."

Alexandra cupped her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle, engrossed in the standoff between her father and Miss Marty, meanwhile forgetting about the burnt curtain sitting on the bed.

Adam cocked his head to one side then glared at Alex when he heard her muffled giggles.

"Well you did sound a bit bossy, dad."

"Yes Adam," said Ben as he walked further into the room. "Forgive my sons brisk manner Miss Strawn, but he's right to be concerned. We seem to be making a habit of keeping you overnight. I guess we just all enjoy your company." He laughed trying to make light of the situation.

Marty smiled at Ben, then smirked at Adam when she saw him blush from his father's subtle chastisement.

Adam quickly turned his attention to Alex, and then frowned when he saw the curtain on the bed, "What's this?" he asked picking it up.

"Ahhh…" Alex panicked.

He turned the curtain over and immediately noticed its burnt edges. "It's your window curtain Alexandra," he looked to the window and noticed the second curtain which had obviously been split in two. He frowned down at the child. "How did it get burnt?"

"Marty was helping me out…Ahh she was jist holding onta it afore…I ahhh." Alex stuttered, trying to find a way to get straight to the point, and the whole story out before her father lost his temper.

Adam turned to Marty, silently questioning her.

"Don't look at me, I made a promise to..." said Marty.

"Pardon?"Adam asked incredulously.

"Let me finish, Adam," she stated firmly.

Alex could see her father starting to fume as he looked from Marty back to her. While she was happy for the reprieve, it was only a matter of time until he blew his stack. And really it wasn't fair that Marty bear the brunt of it as well. Though, Grandpa did always say a problem shared is a problem solved, though, still it didn't sound quite fair in this instance.

"Daddy, don't go mad at Marty. She means; she promised not to tell ya, cause I'm gonna tell ya. I was up here trying ta figure out how ta tell ya. And Marty done give me some advice and Leo done give me some advice. I was hidin it when…"

"So Leo's in on this too?"

"Adam, I'm not in on this!" snapped Marty.

"Maybe not Marty, but it's not a good idea for you to let Alex handle things. It looked like you were helping the child to hide it and if so you may just be finding yourself in as much hot water as she…"

"Ohhh grrrr," Marty growled in frustration, and then punched Adam in the shoulder.

"Ow…Marty!"

"You are the most self righteous, pig headed, know it all… ohhhh," fumed Marty.

"Adam, Marty, I think a certain ten year old should be doing the explaining here," said Ben, nodding towards Alexandra.

"She's probably too scared to say anything," snapped Marty.

"Alexandra is not scared of me," defended Adam.

"Yes I am, dad," yelled Alexandra, stamping her foot furiously then placed both hands on her hips, with a defiant scowl on her face.

"See!" pointed Marty.

"Oh… Pish to quote you, Marty. Sure she looks real scared, standing there with her hands on her hips, yelling at her father, when she should be explaining why one curtain to her bedroom window is in tatters and the other burnt. Meaning she has been playing with fire," said Adam now glaring at Alexandra. "She is not scared that I will hurt her, I would never hurt her…"

"Just spank her."

Adam turned back to face Marty. "Yes, just spank her, for being naughty, or lying or putting herself in danger… But that's all. We talk about the consequences and then it's over."

"And sometimes, Miss Strawn," interrupted Ben, "children make another mistake and need a reminder. So before you two go at each other anymore, in front of Alexandra," he emphasized, "I suggest that the child, explain."

"Fine, but she's not scared of me, not in that way," Adam said indignantly.

"No daddy, I'm not scared of you like I'm scared of a bad man hurting me. I'm scared of disappointin' ya, and I knowed you love me mo matter what. Sorta like the periodical son, that only came home for short periods of time and done spent all his pa's money and then come home fer good after a really long period of time, but his Pa still loved him. His older brother was still mad at him, but forgave him, even though he reckoned his pa shoulda probably tanned his hide. Father Flannigan reckoned that's a parasol about the loving father not a naughty son, it's a father protecting his son, I guess like an umbrella does from the rain and the sun. Just like that, daddy, I know ya love me no matter how naughty I am, and ya just wanna protect me… All… The …Time," she slowly emphasised.

"That's right Alexandra, that's my job and I do it because I love you very much."

"I knowed that, but I still don't like ta disappoint ya. And when ya first find out I done somethin naughty, ya yell real loud, and ya eyebrows go all pointy and they point straight at me, they almost join up at the middle and they look like a furry black caterpillar, and ya lips go all straight. Ya don't look real handsome, dad. Well… Cause people say ya a good looking man, the best looking Cartwright man; even miss Marty done said that. I heard Jami Sue Cahill talkin at the barn dance with Sienna and Cindy Leigh. They's was saying you're a real dreamboat. Then Jami Sue reckoned she let ya leave ya boots under her bed any ole day. Don't rightly know what she means by that, but she was sayin itta be a privilege ta have a good looking man like you leave his boots there. Suppose she don't want any little critters getting in them ifin ya leave them at the back door, like ya supposed to. She's real pretty dad, but she can't be too smart. Either that, or she ain't got a good sense of smell."

Hmmm, Jami Sue can't be all that dumb, mused Marty, then she started to laugh when she saw Adams blush rise up his neck. "Where does she get this imagination? I'm sorry Adam, your right she's not scared of you in that way. I had no right to be so…so…"

"Overprotective… actually it's quite nice to see," commented Ben.

Adam nodded and laughed too. "I guess I am too, of both of you." Adam sort of apologised.

Marty accepted it with a smile and a nod. "I promised Alexandra I would stay with her while she told you both about all this. I didn't want you to react until you've heard what she has to say."

"Okay, Alexandra Williameena Cartwright, I will endeavour to keep control of my eyebrows for a long period of time. Explain."

"That's another thing, dad, kids know we're in trouble when ya use our full names like that, straight away it's like a hung jury. That's another reason I need grandpa ta be here."

"A doting grandpa for protection, Huh?" Adam asked with a smirked that he directed his father.

"Yup, sort of, but it also his house and I done disobeyed him too. So, I reckon ya both deserve an xpalnation and I figured its easya ifin ya both angry at me at the same time in the same place, cause only one can spank me at the one time."

"Hmm we'll see about that, young lady," said Ben.

Alex took a big breath, "Well then ya better sit down, here tagether." Alex directed them to her small bed and invited them to take a seat side by side on the edge. Marty came and stood beside her and took her hand, and gave it a pat of encouragement.

"Thanks, Miss Marty, but I'm gonna need my hands ta talk."

Marty let go, "Opps, yes right."

"First, I got some good news, dad. I got an A+ on my assignment on the Bill Of Rights and Miss Jones was real impressed with all my research and especially the presentation. All the really good projects like mine are gonna be displayed at the courthouse on Founders Day, I got a big blue ribbon. There was three of us that got a big blue ribbon, it's in my saddle bag, ya wanna see it?"

"Later," snapped Adam.

"Oh…Anyways ya proud of me, right?" Alex asked, a little downtrodden.

"Yes, Alexandra I'm very proud of you darling," said Ben and gave Adam a nudge.

"Yes, Alex I'm very proud if you too. I know you put a lot of work into that project."

"Yes I did, and soooo… I wanted to make it look real authentic, you taught me that word, dad, and so I wanted it ta look real old, and well you can use cold tea or burn the edges. I couldn't use cold tea, cause it would mess up my bestest writing and then I wouldn't have got an A+ and Lydia Ann woulda been so smug all about that, cause this time she only got a B. So the bested second bestest solution was ta burn the edges, so I borrowed Grandpa's long matches; that he uses to light his pipe and I bought them up here ta be real careful with, and burn the edges a bit at a time. But the flames got real big, so I stomped on them, but while I was stomping, the wind done blown the curtain in and not the match out and the curtain, afore I knowed it, was on fire. So I done throwed the rest on the water on them and put the fire out; real quick. Only the curtain was all burnt along the edges, just like my project, but I couldn't hand it in instead, cause well, It didn't have no writing on it. So that's how I come ta get a big fat A+ on my project and make ya very proud of me when all them folks in Virginia city say; hey that there Adam Cartwrights' girl, who done that real authentic looking Bill Of Rights. She sure is one smart little chip off the old block just like her daddy, betcha he's as proud as punch. I knowed I'd be ifin that was my lovely smart little child trying their very best all the time; I'd be a real proud , envy nots a good Christian thing, so they probably wouldn't mean it like they were jealous of ya, or anything, dad."

Alex stop waving her arms about, drew her shoulders up and took a huge breath, clasped her hands together and then smiled at her captive audience. "I feel so much better for getting all that offa my chest, that was good advice Miss Marty."

Ben sat in relative silence trying to follow Alexandra's explanation and not interrupt or laugh at his animated granddaughter. Adam had at sometime during the performance clasped his hands together as if in prayer and bought them to his lips to smother his mirth. Oh they were used to Alexandra's long winded extrapolated versions of events, but they had never seen a sight so funny as Marty, who stood behind the child with her eyes wide and spinning around trying to follow the description of events. Tears of laughter nearly sprang to his eyes when he saw Marty suddenly look down and go cross eyed at Alex's declaration of appreciation.

Ben broke in before both of them lost the authority to go on, "So you disobeyed me Alexandra."

"Yes sir."

"And you put yourself in a dangerous situation," added Adam.

"Well not really dad, I had it all under…"

"Alexandra, you could have been burnt, this house could have been burnt down, are you allowed to use matches by yourself?"

"No, dad, sir."

"So you put yourself in a dangerous situation."

"Yes sir."

"And you lied."

"No dad I didn't lie, I'm tellin ya the whole truth."

"Now, but you hid the evidence of your crime. You knew it was wrong. You covered up the evidence of your crime by cutting the remaining curtain and hiding the burnt one. That tells me you knew it was wrong."

"I knowed it was wrong, dad, but it weren't no lie and it ain't a crime ta accidently burn ya curtain."

"You disobeyed your grandfather."

"Yeah, but that ain't against the law. I mean it ain't good, but Sherriff Roy ain't gonna put me in jail fer it."

"It's God's law Alexandra, Obey Thy Father And They Mother," explained Ben.

"But you are my grandfather, Grandpa."

"Alexandra, it's the same thing," ground out Adam.

"Yes Dad, Sir and Grandpa," Alex conceded, her father's tone told her she should fess up, even though she could think of a hundred other reasons why hiding the curtain wasn't actually a lie. Well maybe one other reason, but her father's eyebrows were getting dangerously scary, so she decided to give him that one.

"Why?" asked Adam.

"Because I didn't want a spanking, and I didn't want grandpa and you ta be disappointed in me and I didn't want ta not have my birthday party or keep practicin with the gun."

"Well, what changed your mind?"

"Cause I figure you are real smart and when you see the authentic project, that I got an A+ for, on display ya would know I done used some matches."

"So would you have owned up if your project hadn't got an A and your disobedience and lies were not discovered?"

"It got an A+, dad."

"Alexandra, would you have told us about the fire earlier."

"Hmm that's a hard one, dad. Ifin I'm bein honest; probably not, cause besides hating getting spanked, I really needed ta keep practicin my shootin and well, everybody's been looking forward ta my party. I thought ya mighta not let me have it an all, cause ya always say ya want me ta be ya little girl forever, but ya wants me ta learn responsibility. Meybe I mighta waited until after my party ta tell ifin I never got an A+ or my party was afore Founders Day. But there's a lot of situations ta take inta consideration here, dad, like ifin ya take my birthday party offa me I won't turn leven and there's a lot of kids who be real disappointed. You wouldn't want that dad, would ya?

"This isn't my fault, little girl."

"Well dad it is kinda, cause you coulda done made me with momma afore Founders Day; you coulda held off givin momma a seed that turned inta me, then I guess I woulda just got a spanking for disobeying grandpa and I wouldn'ta felt responsible for disappointin all them peoples and done hid the curtain and lied, even though I still don't reckon it's an out an out lie. I was jist waiting a bit; afore I was gonna tell ya the truth. Its jist a dang shame Founders Day is earlier than my birthday."

Marty put her hand over her mouth, to suppress the giggles that were about to explode from her lips, when she saw Adam shaking his head at Alex's last ditched effort at a plea bargain. They were quickly thwarted when Adam stood up abruptly.

Alex stepped back into Marty's skirt and reached for her hand never taking her eyes off her father. "You cin hold ma hand now, Miss Marty."

"Adam," whispered Marty.

"I'm not angry,' he whispered back, then looked down at his daughter, "Alexandra, I'm proud of you for getting an A+ on your assignment. I'm happy that you try so hard to do your best at school and here at home. I'm proud that you decided to tell us the truth. I'm disappointed that you didn't tell us everything when it FIRST happened, though I can understand how a little girl might think; and not want to get into trouble. But, it made things worse. I'm disappointed that you disobeyed grandpa and you will have to make your peace with him."

Alex looked over to her grandfather sitting on the bed, then suddenly down at her feet with a melancholy pout.

"Most of all Alexandra, it worries me that you are so careless and I don't know that I can totally trust you to be responsible." Adam lifted her chin. "Look at me please."

Alexandra let her father lift her chin gently. The tears that had welled up and quivered slightly under her large apologetic green eyes had the three adults in the room swallow the lumps in their throats.

"So there will not be any more target practice or gun lessons, until my opinion changes. You will be restricted to the yards and in view of the house at all times when you are not in school. There will be some extra chores for you to do after school and straight to bed after supper for the next two weeks. I've thought about the birthday party, you are going to turn eleven whether I like it or not, the invitations have been sent, and you are right it would not be fair to let all your friends down, so you will have your party, but whether we have it up at the lake is another matter. That will depend on you staying out of trouble over the next two weeks."

Alexandra went to profusely object, but was stopped when Adam held up a finger, "and" he added sternly, "I am also going to put you across my knee."

Alex let the tears flow, and "harumpft" as she pulled her chin from her father's grasp, and then crossed her arms.

"Be thankful, young lady it is not a trip to the barn for a sound tanning with my belt. Now go and get your nightshirt," ordered Adam, sending her away with a light swat to her backside.

Alex had expected as much and plodded away without a word, wiping away her tears.

Ben and Marty came and stood beside Adam, as they all watched Alexandra rummage through her top drawer. She discarded items of clothing to the floor, including a manhandled black shirt, before finally pulling out a clean night dress. Adam went to move towards the dramatic display when his father squeezed his arm.

"She's sulking, part of that's guilt, son. Why don't you go and help Marty get settled. Ask Hop Sing to find her a house coat and night dress. He knows where I keep some of Marie's old things. I think it's best if I sort out Alexandra tonight. You can deal with the other infractions in the morning. Let me deal with her disobedience to me, now."

Adam thought about it and nodded. "Thanks Pa." Adam moved over and picked up his old black shirt, then lifted his little girl into his arms. She pulled back from him, but Adam refused to give into her pouting. He gently cupped her head in his hand and coxed it forward to meet his. He rested his forehead on hers and looked into her eyes. They 'stared' off for a moment before he moved and kissed her on the cheek, "Night sweetheart. Grandpa will help you get ready for bed before he and you talk. We will work the rest out in the morning."

Marty moved next to Adam, she placed a kiss on her own palm then leaned over to transfer the kiss to Alex's cheek next to her fathers, "Night, I am proud of you, you are a brave little girl, see you in the morning."

Adam put Alex back on her feet, "Night Miss Marty, thanks fer tryin ta help."

"You're welcome Alex," said Marty and moved through the door that Adam now held open.

Before he could follow, Alex pulled him back, and pulled the black shirt from his hand and clasped it tightly to her chest next to her night shirt, "Night daddy."

Adam chuckled, "night my little rascal."

As Adam closed the door quietly behind them, Alex made her way over to her grandfather, who had now taken a seat in the bedside chair.

"Feel better?" asked Ben, as he took the shirts from her hands and started helping her with the clips on the flap denim britches.

"Huh?"

"Well you got a lot of your chest tonight, that's got to make you feel better."

"I guess it does, I didn't really like keeping a secret fer that long. It wasn't like a birthday surprise secret. Are you really, really, disappointed in me?" Mumbled Alex, distracted by the buttons on her shirt. She unbuttoned them slowly not wanting to look in her grandfathers' eyes.

"No," he stated helping her with the rest of her buttons, then removing her shirt. "But we have to sort out a few things, Alexandra."

Alex now addressed the buttons on her union suit and pulled her arms out letting the undergarment rest on the scrunched up waist of her britches. "Cause I didn't mind you?"

"Yep," said Ben as he slipped her night shirt over her head and spoke clearly to the head that soon popped through the opening. "Alexandra, you need to mind all the adults in this house. We all have a vested interest in seeing you grow up to be a good person. We all love you very much and we work hard to keep you safe. You must follow all the rules we set. My sons followed all the rules I set, and are passing them down, with good reason. They will keep you safe. I know your daddy is the main person in charge of you and he is the main person to discipline you, but if you break the rules, and disobey one of us then we too will dish out the consequences. We are all here to help your daddy and you, Alexandra."

"So Uncle Joe, Hoss and you are allowed ta swat me?"

"Yes, and Hop Sing, and that includes a spanking if need be, Alexandra. We went through this with Uncle Joe remember?"

"He doesn't like spanking me."

"None of us do, Alexandra. Now you best get me your hairbrush."

"But I ain't got too many knots Grandpa; besides its jist get all knottier by morning." She explained grabbing the flat haired brush from her dresser.

"Well you should wear a night cap," suggested Ben as he took the hairbrush.

"Makes ma head all hot."

"Well the brush is going to heat up your little bottom, Madame," said Ben as he put her across his knee and lifted her night gown.

"Hey, wait, that's gonna hurt like the dickens's," panicked Alexandra.

"Alexandra, you disobeyed me and as a result started a fire that could have gotten out of control. A similar situation arose with a certain other Cartwright child, when he decided he would like to try out my pipe, and hid it in the barn."

Alex swung her head around, craning her neck to see her grandfathers face while she still lay unscathed, but vulnerable over his knees. "Was that my daddy?"

"It was, and he near set fire to the barn."

"So you done spanked him?"

"He earned himself a trip to said barn and a bare bottom hiding with my belt."

"Gee, he sure weren't lucky, at least ifin he burnt down the barn he wouldn't haveta had a trip there."

"No he may have been killed along with good stock. So…" Ben grabbed the waist of her loose overalls and along with the union suit and pulled them down past her knees.

Alex started to kick, realising that she was going to get a hiding very similar to the one her father had gotten, she only hoped that her grandpa was much feebler these days and perhaps it wouldn't hurt as much.

Ben expected the child would buck at the onset and didn't waste any time. He applied three smart successive paddles with the flat of the hairbrush with precision.

Alex yelped and screeched with each swat, trying to twist out of his grip, but her grandfather was a strong as he probably always was. Before a fourth swat landed, Alex was crying and wondering how bad it must have been for her daddy all those years ago. After the fourth swat, she couldn't have given a racoon's butt about her father; all she was interested in was getting out of the firing line. She threw both her hands back and covered her backside with her upturned palms. "Please grandpa, no… more…" she sobbed.

'Alexandra move your hands away."

"Nu ah, are you crazy, ya killin me."

Ben put the brush away and spoke to Alexandra. "I'm not killing you, nor am I enjoying this. Just the same, there will be no more smacks with the brush, so remove your hands."

Alex removed her hands, and scrubbed at the tears on her face, "Good, cause I wasn't enjoyin it, either."

"Well that's what happens when you play with fire. And this," he said and accentuated it with the flat of his hand on her bare buttocks, " is for disobeying me," Smack, "and" Smack, "a reminder to mind me in the," Smack, " future."

Ben continued to paddle her backside, until it was pink enough to remind Alexandra of the consequences of disobeying the rules of the house, especially those that endanger her life.

Alex kicked and wriggled until she couldn't find the strength to keep going and control her sobs as well. Her grandfather had never really spanked her before, a couple of pops or swats, over well padded petticoats or woollen britches, but never on the bare bottom, and never to the point that she was sure would never sit again. "I'm sworrrrry… grand… Pa…I'll … never burn … nuffin ag…agin…"

Ben lifted her up and stood her on her feet. Alex kicked her pooled britches and underclothing away and then jumped up and down on the spot rubbing her backside furiously while the tears streamed down her face.

Ben let her rub and cry for a couple of minutes, trying not to smile at the typical behaviour of a freshly spanked and remorseful child. He handed her the hairbrush, "here you want to put this back on your dresser? You will need it in the morning."

Alex scowled, for two reasons; she now hated that hairbrush something fierce and putting it back on the dresser meant losing one hand that was still needed to rub the sting out of her bottom. "Okay, but don't reckon using it again would be very hygienies, gonna get me one of them night caps as soon as possible."

Ben laughed, "Hygienic. It will be fine, now come here; we have one more thing to do before you go to bed."

Alex walked slowly back to her grandfather and stood in front of him and dropped her head. She wiped the last of her tears away, hoping no more would come.

Ben gently pulled her to him and positioned her as comfortable as possible on his lap. "It's finished now. You and I are the same as we always were. You are forgiven; you were before I spanked you. I love you and always will. I want you to remember that." he declared, as he stroked the curls on her head. "I want you also to remember to mind me, and think about being careful and playing safely. I want you to have fun and learn things, and I want you to keep all that wonderful energy and spirit that you have, but I want to protect my special girl, keep you safe and sound, secure, unharmed and… well, happy."

Alex leant back against his broad chest, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder. Ben continued to caress the curls from her forehead, planting a soft peck in their place. "I know you are not very happy about that sting in your tail right now, but…"

"But, it don't mean ya don't love me," she sniffed.

"And?" coaxed Ben.

"And I love you."

"I know that, I feel it every day."

"And?" Ben asked again.

Alex sat up; trying to figure what he was answer he was fishing for. She cupped her own small hand on Ben's cheek and turned his eyes to hers, "and I will try my very bestest, not ta lie or get inta trouble agin, especially try not ta get myself hurt, cause that would hurt you more. Even ifin I'm templated by the devil, himself I will remember ya rules." She promised sincerely.

Ben was moved at her innocent touch and her honest naivety; there was no way this child was going to stay out of trouble, but along as it was just harmless mischief, he take it as a promise kept and enjoy every moment of being a grandfather. "Good girl, I know you will." He kissed and hugged her again then popped her into bed.

Alex quickly turned over and grabbed her pillow to tuck under her head. She yawned, before tugging a dangling blonde ringlet she habitually chewed on. Within minutes she was fast asleep.

Ben tucked her in, turned down the lamp and quietly left the room.

oOo

Marty dreamed away, soaking in the hot tub and the sensual warm glow of the wood burner as well as lamp nearby. "Yes this was a good idea," she purred.

Hop Sing had laid out fresh towels and some night clothes she could step into after a long, but enchanting day at the Ponderosa. Even with Alexandra's trouble, the day had its great benefits. A lovely picnic by the lake with a man she was in love with. There were complication, yes, but the warmth this family had emitted to her was enormous, one that reminded her own family dynamics. Alexandra's trust in her was another huge step forward, and even though she probably did overstep her boundaries with her opinions, neither Ben nor Adam said so. In fact it was quite the opposite, when she thought about it.

She hummed a soft tune as she stretched her long limps washing away the dust of the day, and thought back to the final moments of the night that had left her with this feeling of bliss.

They had gone for a walk; Adam and her, past the corralled boundaries. The night sky was indeed clear and the stars could have guided her safely back to town. But, here is where she was and it felt like home, a feeling she had not felt in a while, so far away from what she had known most of her life.

Adam turned her around as the stopped and the last of the fence rails. "Thank you for the backup, with Alexandra, Marty. I know you think I'm hard on her and sometimes I sometimes feel like the ogre you probably think I am, but…"

Marty put her fingers to his lips, "Shhh, no I don't think you are an ogre, yes I think you are a little harsh at times, but I realise it comes from fear, not anger. I'm a little impulsive too sometimes, and if I believed you were abusive, I would step in. However, I apologise; I get a little too righteous, before I've heard the full story."

Adam leant down and kissed her passionately for a long moment, before withdrawing and looked at her pretty moonlit face.

"Impulsive you say," he smiled.

"Perhaps, but no more than you, Adam." She smirked back. "Though, after trying to follow Alexandra's train of thought and argument tonight, I think you have the patience of a saint. How you don't burst into fist of laughter, I don't know."

"It was hard, always is, but your face was even funnier; watching you trying to follow her train of thought. You were a cute as her."

"Well you weren't too cute when you thought I had been in cahoots with her. Adam I wouldn't do that."

Adam pulled her in close with both his arms wrapped around her waist and his hands clasped firmly at the small of her back. "Oh, not on purpose, you wouldn't; not to undermine me, perhaps, but Alex is a clever little rascal and that ball of energy could very well pull you into one of her schemes. You look the mischievous type," he teased.

"Oh really!" Marty objected, "schemes, I would have thought them more adventures. Scheming sounds so, so… Corrupt."

"Hmm, adventures it is then, but let me warn you young Miss Martha Strawn should you wind up part of one Alex's adventures, that leads to a misadventure, you may just end up across my knees as well," he said playfully, before unclasping one hand and administering a particularly hard swat to her tight riding skirt clad rump.

"Oww, hey!" said Marty, then punched him the shoulder, for the second time that night.

Adam responded by landing another quick smack to her backside, but before Marty could object verbally or physically, Adam pulled her closed and engaged her lips in a long and lingering kiss.

Marty returned the passion, but drew back when she felt the heat of her own body rise and the butterflies in her stomach take flight. She blushed a little at her internal reaction, then tried to think of something witty to say that would deflect the obvious.

"Well, is that how you get all us girls to dream about your boots under the bed?" she swooned rather melodramatically.

"US?"

"Pardon?"

"You said US, as in we, as in you dream of my boots under your bed," said Adam.

"No, well I meant … Not… I meant, them," she flustered.

"What all of them? Now there's a thought…"

"Ohh grrrr," She punched him again, "You know what I meant."

"OW," he voiced and slapped with his hand on her backside again.

"Ow," yelped Marty.

"Punch me again, Marty and you're going to have a sorer bottom than Alexandra before the nights out."

"You're going to Spank Alex tonight?" she asked horrified.

"No, but I'd say Pa's has had one of his traditional old fashioned necessary discussions with her."

"Oh poor baby, then she gets another spanking from you tomorrow?"

"Probably not, I'll see how she pulls up. I think the chores and early to bed will be enough of a consequence and deterrent."

"What about her Party up at the lake?"

"I think that will probably go ahead too," smiled Adam.

"She'll probably be too worn out from all the extra chores."

"Oh, let's hope so," he quipped. "It's not as bad as it sounds most of extra chores will entail getting things ready for the party. I think she'll probably forget about them being a punishment once the excitement takes over. But, I'm serious about the party up at the lake. Twenty little kids up there running around, I need her to be sensible. I want her to think about that. That way everybody stays safe."

"I'll help, Adam."

"Good, that's a more proactive approach. You know as parents we need to stick to our guns and follow through on discipline. I'll listen to your suggestions, and advice and we can make decisions together but our children will have consequences for bad behaviour."

Marty stood there with her mouth open, too scared to really respond, in case she had imagined those words.

"What?" Asked Adam, taking note of her questioning expression, "I know you don't like the…"

"You said, We… and Our… What does that mean?"

"It means…" Adam didn't finish but pulled her once again and gave her the softest of small kisses on her beautiful full lips, and left it there, just touching, letting the warmth of their skin tingling each other to the bone. There was no breath, no air to have caused the pours on Marty's flesh to rise or Adams muscles to flex and harden, but they did. Before another minute could pass, Adam wrapped his entire body around her full figure and pulled her in for a deep and sensual kiss, fusing their soles and their dreams.

"Adam we can't, not yet, there's too many…"

"Yes there are, but consider it only unofficial at this time, Miss Martha Strawn, I want you for my lifelong partner, my wife. I wish it and I want it will all my heart. It's not an If, it's a when, but consider it a promise."

"But …"

"But those things will work out, they will be what they will be, it just may not happen as soon as we both want it to happen. You do want it too Marty, I feel it; your entire being tells me."

"Yes Adam I wish it so much. I promise…"

"Uh Ah," Adam interrupted with another soft kiss, "No promises from you, you don't need to, and I will not hold you to one, other than I expect you to hold me to mine, if you still wish it. My father once told me, that if you truly love someone with all your heart and soul then what you want for them is their complete happiness, their fulfilment, over your own, even if that means…"

This time Marty stopped him. "Very well Adam, that is my promise, your complete happiness."

Adam and Marty continued kissing, touching and fondling, until Adam's hands wandered slowly down to the seat of her buckskin skirt and started gently caressing her firm and voluptuous derriere.

Marty pulled back, "Whoa there, Cowboy."

"Just rubbing the sting out," he said cheekily.

"Yes well, I'm not complaining, its lovely of you especially considering you put it there in the first place, but I think we better stop, now… before any one's boots get put under any ones bed, before they should be."

"Oh, but I can't wait for the day, that they are," he smirked tagged with a wink. "And I promise you, there will come a day."

Marty could have melted back into those strong arms and that hard body and inhaled the mains scent and every bit of his essence. Dear Lord; he is making this hard, she silently prayed, and then quietly coaxed herself, Marty, put a stop to this now. "Well not under my bed mister!"

Adam pushed back, a worried expression on his face; I mean I can't really blame the girl. I haven't made and official request, made an appropriate proposal, but I thought my promise was clear

Marty brushed her finger along his bottom lip, which she was sure he was unaware was pouted, making him look like a teary school boy. "No not under my bed, however when the time comes, you can leave them outside the bedroom door, after all I do have a sense of smell, but I wouldn't like some nasty critters to get in there either," she giggled.

Adam laughed and pulled her for one last playful kiss.

As they pulled back Marty smiled, "Huh, gotcha, cowboy," she said as she punched him in the arm for the fourth time.

"That's four, Marty," said Adam with a menacing glare.

Marty's eyes went wide, and she squealed when Adam clapped his hands together, then jolly well laughed as she took off to the bathhouse and locked herself in.

"You better get to bed now Adam, I'm taking a long hot bath, which Hop Sing has kindly drawn for me, see you in the morning," she sang.

"You need anybody to wash your back?"

"No thank you, my arms are quite long enough, now off you go."

Marty came back to the present, emerged in the warm suds of the copper tub, laughing at the last of their playful flirting. She observed her long arms as she pointed her slender leg in the air to rub at a particular dirty spot on her ankle.

Marty wasn't the only one to have smiled at those earlier memories. Adam had sat on the porch, swirling a small amount of vintage port in a glass, as he listened to her soft voice humming a song that seemed to float towards him from the glow of the bathhouse window. He stared for a moment; mesmerised by the silhouette of her fine slender limb shadowed against the wall from the light of the pot bellied boiler. He quickly called some decorum to his thoughts and downed the warm liquid in one swoop, then made his way back into the big room to head off to bed; certain he was going to have to sleep with his boots on if he was to get any sleep at all.

oOo

Marty scuttled to the house, and through the door and into the warmth of big room. She went over to the still low burning fire and towelled dried her before heading off towards the downstairs guest bedroom. She smiled when she opened the door and noticed the figure lying asleep in her bed.

She quickly discarded her slippers and housecoat, laying it over the chair that sat next to her bed and crawled in under the sheets. She bent over and kissed the small nose that dozed quietly, a black shirt clutched securely in her hand.

"Night little one," she whispered.

Alexandra stirred and stretched out, wrapping her free arm around Marty, "Is it okay, Marty?" she murmured then yawned. "I woke up. Can I sleep in here?" She asked with her eyes still closed and half asleep.

"Sure sweetheart, but where's your daddy?"

"Oh, he's in bed readin', with his boots on… Guess…" she yawned, "He's figuring on getting up real early."

Marty had to stifle a laugh, "hmm I guess so."

"Sides, don't want ta be in swatting distance come mornin," scowled Alex with one eye open then closed it again.

"Oh I think you be pretty safe."

Alex turned and lay on her back and stretched her arms above her head. "I sure hope I get ta have my party by the lake."

"Here, go back to sleep, turn over I'll rub your back for a while."

Alex complied happily.

"You know," said Marty as she rubbed small circles on her back with the tips of her fingers. "I think if you get all those chores done, without any sass or complaints, I think you will have your party up at the lake."

"Good, cause Lajoci's commin, and he's gonna show us how ta catch fish by tickling their underbellies."

"Well that's sounds like fun, I'd like to try that."

It will be…" yawned Alex, "lots of fun."

Alex was asleep within minutes. Marty leaned over to draw down the lamp, when she heard a knock at the door.

"Marty? It's me Adam, is Alexandra with you?"

"Yes Adam, come in," she called.

Adam walked in dressed in a dressing gown, pajama pants and his leather stitched square toe boots.

"She's here," whispered Marty pointing to the child.

Adam walked in and bent down over his child, enchanted by the way a sleeping child could look so like an angel. "She's dead to the world, you're not going to get any sleep with her wrapped around you like that, believe me I know."

Marty watched this man besotted by his child, pick her up gently and secure her sleepy form in his arms with her head resting on his shoulders.

Adam craned his head around her body, absently rubbing her back and swaying. He noticed Marty's nightgown. He remembered Marie in that beautiful jade silk gown, trimmed with lace around the neck. Of course he had never seen it in its entirety, just the hint of the neckline from under the house coat Marie always wore with it. Marty looked just as beautiful, perhaps even more.

"Adam?"

"Huh?"

"I said why you don't leave her here, really its fine. I'm kind of honoured she sought me out. I wouldn't like her to think she wasn't wanted."

"Okay. But she's a wriggler."

"She'll be fine," laughed Marty, as she held the covers open.

Adam laid Alexandra back down, and waited for Marty to wrap the covers gently around her, before brushing her curls from her forehead and kissing it. "Goodnight baby girl." He then did the same to Marty, cupping her face he tipped her head forward slightly and too kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Special Lady."

Adam left the room as the flame of Marty's bedside lamp diffused the last of the light behind him. He made his way to his own room, where he knew he would sleep well and sound, with pleasant dreams and… Be damned; he was taking off these boots.

TBC

Chapter 8

Rather Switches Than Guns

A.N. Well yes, I know it was a long one, and I was going to cut it in half, but really it needed to be all together and I thought all my great loyal readers and reviewers deserved bits of their favourite situations in this series, whether it be Alexandra's banter or Marty and Adam's romance, which I had always intended to define further. Also tiny bitty cameo's for some of you Romantic gals, you know who you are; carlacipo yours will come and rusulka7s thanks for the line from your review…"Marty might be finding herself in hot water if she is letting Alex handle things" I thought Adam could use it. Please review; both Lajoci and I would really appreciate it. Lajoci edited this for me and gave lots of great suggestions; well deserved Kudos