Accidental Jump

I do not own the rights to the show Bonanza

NOTE: I know Virginia City is not a ghost town but for the sake of this storyline I am making it one. If you happen to live near, or in the town, please do not take any insult.

Scene 10

"She's your what?" Ben managed to speak still a bit dazed.

"Ya heard me Pa, she's my wife." The other questions needed to be answered -if they even could -but Hoss figured -after all Julie had done for him ; not to mention her response to his advances - she needed to be the focus of discussion and nothing else.

"Isn't this kind of sudden?" Little Joe asked surprised, but with a wide- grin still on his face. "I mean six weeks doesn't seem very long. You could have set yourself up for a major heartache."

"Dag-burn-it, Little Joe, I know that, but I love her." He looked at his father with more sincere emotion than Ben had seen in a very long time. "I really do, Pa, she's something else. And she loves critters jest like me." Ben could hear the pleading to be understood in his middle son's voice.

"I believe you, Hoss." The older man stood up and laid his hand on Hoss' shoulder. "I just hope you don't end up regretting this marriage."

"Oh, Pa." Hoss asked once they were at the table. "I was kinda hoping we could have a regular weddin here - or in town - these vows." He gave a sheepish lop-sided grin. "…our marriage ,well…it… Little Joe's right. It was done in a hurry. I reckon every woman should get a real wedding even…" Hoss couldn't keep his eyes from darting up the steps before turning back to those around him. "…if the woman consents to something else."

"I don't see why not. We'll see what we can do." Ben would have demanded Hoss tell him everything else too -not just his new daughter-in-law's name, but Julie's scream of pain propelled Hoss out of his chair and rushing upstairs faster than even they thought possible.

"He really does love her - doesn't he?" Jamie asked his eyes wide.

"Looks like it." Ben spoke as he too headed up the stairs.

Ben walked in to see Hoss wiping down Julie's forehead. "Sorry, Hoss, I knew I'd get sick, but not like this." Julie would have said more but Hoss put a finger over her mouth for one as his eyes insisted no apology was needed and - second- Ben had started speaking when Hoss had stopped her own words.

"So, I hear I have a new daughter." Ben smiled figuring any critical word would only hurt the new marriage.

"Not a very healthy one at this point I'm afraid." Julie spoke as she gave a weak smile.

"You'll get better. Jest goin take time." Hoss fought to keep any fear out of his voice.

For your sake I hope so. Ben kept the words to himself as he would not pray for his son to lose another wife before she even had a chance to really be one. Instead the Ponderosa patriarch simply said he'd send up medicine with Hop Sing while he went into town to get Dr. Martin. With that the man left the room.

"Hoss." Julie spoke once Ben was gone. "Dr. Martin isn't going to find anything you know that."

"He might. Yer never know." Hoss had been on the back of motorcycle and time traveled, but he still couldn't comprehend everything that had gone on. And a sick person? Surely the doc could do something.

"I…" Julie stopped for two reasons. Number one… she didn't figure it would do any good to try to explain what her old time-jumping friend had told her. And two, she was doubled over again in pain. "Go ahead and go back downstairs, Hoss. Nothing you can do. I promise I won't scream again." It took a bit of coaxing but Hoss did as asked.

Little Joe said nothing as Hoss came downstairs, nor did Alice or Jennifer. The look on Hoss' face stopped any razzing remarks from his younger brother who left his seat at the table and went to sit down by his brother's side on the couch. The over-sized teddy-bear was holding his head in his hands.

"Hey, things are going to be all right." Little Joe put his hand on his brother's back. "Whatever is wrong, she'll get better."

"She has to." Hoss spoke without lifting his head. "She just had too." It was all the man spoke but it didn't take a rocket scientist to hear the raw emotion in Hoss' voice. One that Little figured said if his had to bury another wife this early into the marriage than he wouldn't ever make it down another isle.

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"The water idea is a good I admit, but you need another doctor to look at you." Dr. Martin was frustrated. It was clear the woman was not faking any illness, but he simply didn't have the equipment to do any more tests.

"I ain't a goin." Julie's jaw set hard and her whole face shouted it had borrowed its look from Hoss. Therefore it was no surprise - to the doctor - that her husband's took on the very same look as he told her she was too going.

"Hoss, I ain't a goin' and that's that." Dr. Martin figured this was one argument he was not getting in middle of and showed himself out the bedroom door. Going downstairs all he could do was shake his head.

"Is she going be all right?" Ben stood up from where he'd been sitting.

"I sure hope so. Sometimes I hate being a country doctor." Dr. Martin informed him what his advice had been, what Julie's reaction had been and what was going on upstairs. "I swear those two might as well have grown up together." The man's whole faced showed disbelief as he described the way those two were going at it -and of Julie's jaw and eyes setting just like Hoss'.

"Guess he really did pick the right gal for a wife." Ben couldn't help but chuckle as did Jennifer -who had just walked out of the kitchen. Jennifer's husband's face quickly turned serious again. "And if she doesn't go?"

"I can't guarantee a thing." Dr. Martin walked to the door - as if to show himself out - then turned and said "Pray like mad Hoss wins, or that the amount of water she is drinking does the trick." With that the man left.

Ben stuck his hands in his pockets as the door shut behind the doctor. He knew what it was like to bury more than one wife and the idea his son might very well be doing the same thing bothered him to the tenth degree. At least he'd had a son by each of the women and -even if Jennifer died- he had Brenda. What did Hoss have? A cow that Emily had loved, but that had finally died? And Julie? Good heavens, they hadn't even been together long enough to even get a pet let alone a child.

"Come, Ben." Jennifer laid a hand on her husband's arm. "There's nothing we can do. This is between Hoss and Julie."

"Maybe so, but I still am concerned about my son." Ben couldn't help but growl softly.

"Of course, and you should be, but you'll do him no good if you try to carry his responsibility on top of your own. Let's go get our work done." She was grateful Alice had taken Brenda home with her own daughters Marie and Josephine.

As the rest of the Cartwrights went about their business Hoss relented on Julie's wishes. She'd admitted they were -technically - together and -yes - she had used the common law thing around Irene for sake of time and to get him back home, but she just didn't go for those kind of marriages on a permanent basis. Julie then smiled and admitted she was glad to hear he wanted to exchange vows that were legal and not just lawful. "Darling, I do love you and am willing to be your wife, but I will not put myself into a position to be classified as a mental nut case and thereby earning me the right to be locked up. Got it? If you insist on it you've just lost your wife."

"Got it." Hoss went from the foot of the bed to the side. "Just don't go dying on me."

"I have no intentions of drawing my last breath quite yet. I get that year - remember?" She grinned, "I'll work on getting better, you just get things going for a proper wedding I'll be up and around soon enough." Julie watched the man she'd fallen for hard walk out the door relieved he'd not pressed her anymore on the matter. I couldn't' have said no to him one more time. Her other thought was Old friend, if what you told me is wrong I swear I'll hunt you down in my death and throttle your throat.

With as quiet as Hoss came down the stairs -and picked at his food- Ben figured Julie had won the argument. He wanted to say something, but didn't know what -as did the rest of the family gathered, so he simply started discussing the cattle business at hand.