THE ADVENTURE – CHAPTER 2

Please see warnings in Chapter 1.

This is Fozrulz again. So, JD got a letter. Who do you think it's from? By the way, I can't remember if any time on the show they said it where Four Corners actually was located. So, how about Wyoming?

Vin held back as he stood to hear if JD said anything about what was troubling him.

JD rubbed his cheek against Danger. "I guess I best look at that letter. What If it's something bad?" Danger butted JD's head reassuringly. He knew his young master was upset and nervous. With shaking hands, JD pulled the letter out of his pocket. It was addressed to Mr. JD Dunne, Four Corners, Wyoming Territory. The handwriting was in a child's block print. Another wave of guilt washed over JD. How could he have left her? He just didn't have enough money saved. He read the letter out loud not knowing that Vin was in the shadows of the livery.

Dear JD

I miss you! I wish you were here. I don't like it here. I feel like I have been here forever. I know you said you would send for me when you have money. Do you have money? Can I come now? Ms. Oksen said I was going on an orphan train in 2 weeks. Please come get me.

Love your sister,

Sophia

Age 8 (in case you forgot)

JD crushed the letter to his chest. He had never forgotten about Sophia, but it was hard to save any money. He only got a token amount from being a "sheriff". He had no idea how much money he needed to get Sophia out of the orphanage. He sure as hell didn't want her on no orphan train, where he would never be able to figure out where she was. He supposed he was going to have to try and go get her. He didn't even know how to figure out where orphan trains stopped, so he could get her.

He put his head on Danger's cheek. "I guess you and me's going for an adventure buddy," said JD. Danger just snorted and bobbed his head. JD looked at the letter, 2 weeks? Sophia hadn't put a date on the letter, so he didn't know when that would be. He looked at the envelope. It had a stamp of two weeks ago today, March 11. That meant, the train left St. Louis today. But where would it stop along the way. He had to ask someone. He knew he had a few days, maybe. He had some time to figure it out, maybe.

Vin stepped back. He wasn't sure what to do with this information. He thought for sure JD would tell Buck and get some help. Wow his little brother had a sister and by default he had a little sister. He would just mind his own business, sometime you just gotta let folks work stuff out for themselves. He backed Peso up, so that when JD exited the livery, he wouldn't think Vin had been eavesdropping.

"Heh JD," greeting Vin.

"Oh, heh Vin," said JD distractedly.

JD smelled like fish and pond water. Vin took a sniff and wrinkled his nose. "Where ya headed?" asked Vin.

"Um, gonna go see Mary, I had a question," JD hedged looked toward the Clarion, knowing that Mary was going to shut it down soon for the evening.

Vin shook his head, "I weren't be doing that. Supper's gonna be soon. Ya better go get cleaned up or Inez ain't gonna let you sit down for supper."

JD looked at the Clarion and then back at Vin. "I ain't hungry."

Vin shook his head again, "Go on, ya better get cleaned up. Mary'll keep."

JD shook his head. Why was everyone always bossing him around? But Vin did have a point, if he didn't get cleaned up, Inez wouldn't let him sit at the table. If he didn't eat, Buck and Nathan'd be all over him thinking he was sick. So, he just shrugged his shoulders and headed for the bath house. He figured he had a couple of days to figure it out. He thought them orphan trains stopped all the way between St. Louis and San Francisco. He just had to hope that Sophia was still on the train when he could finally get to her.

JD walked into the saloon to find the others sitting at their regular table. JD took his seat. "Thought ya drowned in there, JD," Buck quipped.

"Or fell asleep. You know that's dangerous JD, you could drown," teased Josiah.

"Shut up!" JD groused.

Buck looked at JD surprised. JD could take a good ribbing. He didn't normally come off so surly. He wondered what was up with the boy.

Vin noted the change in JD's demeanor immediately, he tried to lighten the mood. "I'm smelling something good. Thanks JD and Ezra for fishing today. Can't wait!"

Fortunately, just then Inez came out with a steaming platter of fried fish, mashed potatoes and green beans. Vin's mouth started watering. The plates were passed around. They all dug in except JD. Buck was teasing Vin about looking like a girl cuz his hair was so long when he cast a sideways glance at JD. The boy wasn't eating. He couldn't ever think of a time when JD or Vin didn't eat their supper. Now Ezra, he was a picky eater. Inez was always trying to find something he truly liked. She said he was too skinny. JD was too skinny too, but not from lack of eating. "You ok, JD?" asked Buck concerned.

"'M fine. Quit nagging me," JD lashed out.

Buck looked surprised again. Something was definitely up.

Before Buck could say anything, Chris intervened. He'd been watching JD from the moment he came in. He didn't know what burr was up JD's butt, but he was going to put a stop to this rude behavior. "JD?" Chris asked in his warning voice. Both the other younger boys raised their eyebrows. That warning voice of Chris's did not bode well for the person is was directed at.

"What?" sneered JD, definitely crossing the line with Chris.

"Don't you have evening patrol with Josiah?"

"Yeah, what of it," JD said rudely.

Chris hauled in a breath.

"I suggest you reign in whatever's bothering you and go get ready for patrol. You're excused from supper."

JD looked at him incredulously, "What? I ain't no kid. You never excused me from supper before."

Chris looked at JD, his eyes narrowing. "I ain't puting up with your attitude, go on, take your dishes into Inez, you ain't eating anyway."

JD stood up, fit to be tied. "Fine!" he huffed, throwing down his napkin and knocking over his chair.

Buck stood up to go after him. Chris put a hand on Buck's arm. "Let him go Buck, he needs to work something out in his mind. He'll calm down and come apologize. He always does."

Buck nodded, "Guess you're right Pard. I just hate seeing him so upset. Something's obviously bothering him."

Vin watched the exchange. He wanted to say what he knew, but he didn't want JD to think he'd overheard and he definitely didn't want to get in trouble for not telling Chris or Buck already. He really didn't know what to say. He wasn't as hungry as he thought. He stood up, "If ya'll 'scuse me, I'm turnin' in."

Buck looked him shocked, that boy never left the table until he had a least 2 helpings of everything. "You ok, Vin?"

"You sick Vin, come here!" demanded Nathan reaching for Vin's forehead.

Before Vin could get completely out of his seat, Nathan was there feeling his forehead. "I ain't sick, Nathan," said Vin batting Nathan's hand away from his forehead.

As Vin left the table, Josiah was shaking his head. It was very unusual for the two younger members of the family to act so strangely. "I wonder what's going on with them?" Josiah pondered out loud while looking over at Ezra with a pointed look..

Ezra shrugged his shoulders, "I assure you Mr. Sanchez, I don't have the slightest idea. Nothing was amiss this afternoon," offered Ezra.

The rest of the seven finished up their meals. Josiah headed out to get ready for evening patrol. He was hoping some alone time with the youngest peacekeeper would help him ferret out what was bothering the boy.

JD had stomped off to his room at the boarding house. All the while muttering about he wasn't a kid and he shouldn't have to be dismissed from the table. He'd show them. He would get Sophia and take care of her, like he was her Da and that would show them all how grown up he was. He got to his room and packed a few clothes. He figured he would grab some food from Inez before he lit out. He could just tell her he was camping. He figured he could leave tomorrow. He just needed to figure out where the orphan train was headed, so he could find Sophia. He didn't have patrol at all tomorrow, so no one would miss him. In the mean time, he better go meet Josiah for evening patrol or Buck and Chris would be really suspicious. He was thinking about Buck's warning should he take off without telling anybody. He absently minded rubbed his backside. He didn't think Buck was gonna tan him for rescuing his sister. After all, it was the adult thing to do, right? And adults don't get spankings, right? Well, Josiah gave Buck a whipping for the incident with that bad word, but Chris pretty much said Buck didn't always act like a grownup. It was a good argument in JD's mind, anyway.

JD made his way to the livery. He was saddling Danger when Josiah came in. "Evening JD," said Josiah amiably.

JD relaxed a little, Josiah didn't seem to be mad at him. Josiah was easy to talk to. Maybe he could ask Josiah about the orphan train without letting on what he was planning. "Evening 'Siah," JD said putting his head down, a little ashamed of what had just transpired in the saloon.

As they mounted their horses and headed out for patrol, JD turned to Josiah. "Josiah, can I ask you something?"

"Of course JD, what is it?"

"Um, you ever heard of the orphan train?" asked JD.

Josiah was startled. The orphan train? Why in the world would their youngest ask about such a thing? Judge Travis made sure that Buck was JD's guardian, there was no way he would end up on the orphan train. "Yes, JD. Why do you ask?"

"Um, well, I just wondered what happens to the other kids in the orphanage. I mean I made friends with some of the kids, I wondered if any of them ended up on the orphan train."

Josiah rode for a moment, thoughtfully. "I don't know JD. I'm not sure. I'm sure the children on the train will find wonderful homes with some wonderful people." Josiah didn't believe it for a minute. He had heard the horror stories of the orphan trains. Children were bought and sold. Children went to homes to work, not to be loved and cherished, but to be work horses. No better than slaves or bonded servants.

"I dunno 'Siah. I heard some bad stories about those trains." JD said disagreeing.

"Really, what did you hear?" asked Josiah gently. He wasn't sure what could have stirred up this subject in JD. Even though Ezra was Josiah's boy, JD was coddled by all of them as the youngest. Josiah had a nagging feeling there was more to this story, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"I heard, well I heard, they look for the strong boys to work on the farms and they live in barns and don't get to even live in the house." JD sucked in a breath. "And the girls, the older ones, they make them be like Miss Myra."

Josiah sighed. Who had told the baby of the family these stories, he was going to wring someone's neck. For some reason, JD was just upset about this and he didn't know why. "JD, son, I don't think that is true. It may have happened, but those instances are few and far between."

JD shook his head again, "I think it happens a lot." JD didn't want to give anything away so he changed the subject. "Heh 'Siah, did Ez tell your about fishing? It was really fun and we caught a bunch and I even got to swim and…"

Josiah sighed. It seems JD was back to his normal self. He didn't seem like he was going to dwell on the orphan train, thankfully. He let JD do his normal rambling. They rode patrol until midnight. As the returned to the livery, JD jumped off Danger and started the arduous task of cleaning him up and giving him a treat. Josiah smiled, the boy seemed to be back to normal. Josiah finished cleaning up his horse and turned to head toward the church. He looked at JD, "JD, son, head on up to bed, no detours to the saloon."

JD looked mutinous. "Why not?"

"Because I think you still might be in a little hot water from earlier. I think it would be better to head on to bed. When Buck checks on you, you want to be in your bed."

JD huffed, but wisely followed Josiah's instructions. "OK. Night 'Siah."

"Night son," Josiah returned.

As JD headed for the boarding house, he knew he needed to apologize to Buck for earlier. He figured it would be better that Buck wasn't mad at him now because what he was about to do, was going to get him into more hot water than he had ever been in. He wondered how he was going to find out more about where the orphan train stops. He remembered he was going to talk to Mary about it and satisfied with his plan to talk to Mary, he headed to bed. As he approached the boarding house, he looked up to his room, the room was dark, but Buck's had a light. That meant that Buck was waiting up for him. He wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

JD decided to face the music first. It would make for a more restful evening. He hesitantly knocked on Buck's door. Buck opened the door. "Heh Buck."

"Heh, JD."

"Um," said JD, shuffling his feet, looking down at his boots.

"Everything ok?" asked Buck, concerned.

"Yeah, um.., just wanted to say sorry for earlier."

Buck sighed in relief, JD seemed like he was back to his normal self. "It's ok, JD. You might want to apologize to Chris for smarting off."

"'Kay," mumbled JD. JD still was standing in Buck's doorway. He still wanted to know if they were ok or if he was still in trouble.

Buck raised his eyebrows. JD was still standing there. "Somethin' else, JD?"

"Am I in trouble? Are we ok?"

Buck ruffled his hair, "'Course we are. Go on to bed."

JD sighed in relief. They were ok now. They wouldn't be soon. JD was going to head for wherever the orphan train was headed and he didn't know how long he'd be gone. He hoped Buck would still want him after getting Sophia. Hell…, he hoped Buck'd want Sophia. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with Sophia once he rescued her. Maybe they could share a room in the boarding house or maybe he could find a house for them. He knew there were a few abandoned houses in town. He really didn't understand how all that would work.

JD woke up late the next morning. Buck usually got his butt up early. For some reason, he had let him sleep in. He knew that he needed to apologize to Chris for smarting off last night. He knew that Buck would be asking him if he apologized. He didn't want to say he hadn't. He got himself dressed and headed over to the saloon to see if Inez would feed him. He pushed to door to the saloon open and didn't see any of the peacekeepers. "Heh, Inez," JD said shyly.

"Morning sleepy head," Inez greeted.

"Umm, " JD started.

"You miss breakfast, muchochito (little boy)?"

"Yes m'am." JD didn't like the fact that she had just called him a little boy. But she didn't really mean anything by it. Besides she was going to feed him.

Inez waived him into the kitchen. "Go in the kitchen, I'll fix you breakfast."

JD smiled, "Yes'm."

Inez placed a plate of eggs, bacon and biscuits in front of JD. He didn't realize how hungry he was. He hadn't had much supper the night before. He was shoveling the food in his mouth.

Inez shook her head, "Slow down, you're going to choke."

JD slowed down long enough to ask her, "You seen Chris this morning?"

"I think he's at the jail." She said heading into the saloon muttering all the while about misbehaving children in Spanish.

JD finished his breakfast and put his dishes in the sink. He found Inez out in the saloon cleaning tables and thanked her for breakfast. He steeled himself to go apologize to Chris. He didn't want to still be in trouble. He pushed to door open to the jailhouse and saw Chris sitting at his desk with his back to the door. Chris didn't even look up. "JD."

JD looked at Chris. How did he do that? How did he know it was JD without even looking up? JD could swear Chris had eyes in the back of his head. "Um…. Chris, came to say sorry for smarting off last night." JD said nervously shifting from foot to foot and holding his hat in his hand.

Chris whirled around in his chair and stared at JD thoughtfully for a moment. "Didn't appreciate it."

"No sir, I know. 'M sorry."

Chris just nodded.

"We ok?" asked JD.

Chris nodded.

JD smiled. "Ok Chris, see you later."

"Stay out of trouble," called Chris to JD's back.

JD headed to the Clarion to ask Mary about the orphan train.