Alas, we come to the end-or almost the end-of the tale! I just have to upload the epilogue and then hi-ho hi-ho it's off the hook I go-BARK! AAAHH! Don't scare me like that, Speedle, you almost gave me a heart attack! Sheesh! What was that? What do you mean I'm not off the hook? Oh. I forgot, he wants me to upload my other BZ fic The Polka-dotted Cowboys-as they say, no rest for the wicked! lol!
Speedle: Grrrr!
Alright, I'm shutting up and posting! :D
*Chapter Eleven*
Two Days Later
A grey dawn broke over the horizon, dispersing the remaining rain clouds like a shepherd herding his sheep. A finger of golden light reached through the window and just touched the sleeping figure's face. He stirred, lifted his head and rubbed the drowse out of his eyes.
"Joe!" Doc Martin nearly fell out of the chair he was perched on at Ben's cry. But there was nothing to fear, for although he was weak, Little Joe gazed back at the two men-his eyes clear and devoid of fever. Paul touched the boy's forehead then turned a dazzling smile on his old friend.
"Well, Ben, I think he'll pull through." Glancing at the youth he added in mock severity.
"Now, young man, you gave us quite a bit of a scare over the past few days." Noticing the emotion welling up in the father's eyes, the physician decided to leave the two alone.
"Since I'm no longer needed here, I think I'll pop in on my other patients." And he hastily exited the room.
"P-pa?" Joe struggled with the word and Ben lowered himself back into the chair he had vacated only moments before.
"It's okay, Son-"
"Pa...Danny?"
"He's asleep in Hoss's room. He's going to be fine, thanks to you, and he's on the mend."
"Pa...I'm sorry...I disobeyed you and...God punished me for it." The older man's brow furrowed, not understanding.
"What do you mean, 'God punished you?'" The boy avoided his father's gaze, but finally replied.
"Children obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right. Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise—that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. You've quoted that to me since before I can remember. Well, He nearly took my life for breaking that commandment."
"Oh, Joseph, what am I going to do with you?" Ben paused before continuing.
"It is true that God—who is the perfect Father—punishes us when we do wrong, but it also true that He loves us with all of His heart and doesn't wish to see us harmed. God spared you because...well, because He knows I need you here with me...because I love you." The teen's eyes overflowed and he weakly grasped Ben's shirt with his right hand and tugged. Ben willingly let himself be pulled into the embrace.
It may be for years and it may be forever...but not this time, he thought to himself and a gently smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Creak! Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle...Sniff.
"Joe?"
Joe wearily opened his eyes—which seemed as if they had closed only moments ago—and peered up into Danny Miller's face. He was still a bit pale, and a bruise of fantastical colors lit up the left side of his face. The boy limped forward, leaning heavily on a crutch Doctor Martin had given him to help keep him from putting too much weight on his bad ankle.
"Hi..." Joe frowned at the cottony feeling in the back of his throat that made his voice sound odd.
"Hi, yourself..." There was a long pause before the child spoke again and in the silence Joe could hear boards creaking, chains jangling and the whinny of a horse that told him someone was hitching up a buckboard outside.
"Uh, Doc said it was alright if I go home now...I wanted to say...I'm sorry, Joe." The youngest Cartwright's features reveled the shock he felt at the unexpected words.
"What? Why'd you wanna go and do a fool thing like that, Danny?" Blue eyes meet green ones.
"It's my fault you got hurt-"
"Now wait just a minute! It was NOT your fault that I decided to come looking for you. It was NOT your fault that I'm sick and have a busted shoulder, and it is definitely NOT your fault that I'm grounded to the ranch yard for the rest of my life!" He winked and Danny's somber expression gave way to a dazzling smile and the two boys—hampered a bit by Joe's shoulder—embraced each other.
"Daniel? It's time to go." Isaac Miller popped his head around Joe's bedroom door. With one last grin, the kid headed towards his father.
"Hey, Danny, no more exploring without me, okay?" The invalid called after him.
"'K!" He laid his head back into the softness of his down pillow, his heart floating on a see of happiness and slowly, relentlessly his eyelids drooped down tugging him back into the realm of sleep.
So everyone's back to normal-er-well, sort of. It seems that plot poochie has forgotten about Adam, but we'll get to him in the epilogue. ;) Please review, please, please! :D
