Chapter 25

'I wanted to speak with you boys without Missie hearing.' Ben started, placing his mug of coffee down on the table. 'And now she's in bed and your all here, I thought I'd speak now.'

'What's on your mind Pa?' Joe questioned, glancing up from the game of checkers he was playing with Hoss

'Well, I've been thinking of perhaps taking my status of being Missie's custodian a step further.'

Hoss frowned, trying to figure out what he meant. 'What are you talking about Pa?'

'He's talking about adoption Hoss.' Adam took a seat next to the fire. 'Making her officially part of the family.'

'That right Pa?'

Ben nodded. 'I've spoken with the judge, it's only a matter of some legal work to adopt her but I wanted to see what you thought and felt about it before I put anything in motion.'

'Well I think at least I won't be the youngest anymore.' Joe exclaimed, earning Adam tosslling his curls and he chuckled. 'Might get these two teasing someone other then me for a change.'

'I think it'd be about the dadburn best thing that's happened to her since loosin her family.' Hoss replied strongly. 'What about you Adam?'

'I think it's pretty plain how I feel about it.'

'Yeah, going and making sure your her favorite.'

'Your just jealous little brother.'

'Of course I am. How is it all the girls fall for you?'

'Naturally its my charm and good looks.'

Ben shook his head in amusement. 'I take it then your all in agreement.' The three of them nodded. 'I thought you would be but I wanted to make sure.'

Hosd thought for a moment. 'So you adoptin her means that we'll have a sister now.'

'Yes.'

'Ohhhh.' Little Joe chuckled, rubbing his hands together. 'In a few years we get to put the fear of God into any young buck wanting to court her.'

'I think Missie can handle things just fine without your interference.' Adam added.

'But Adam, brothers have got to look out for their sisters.'

'I'm sure there'll be no problem there, not with the four of us around.' Ben exclaimed in amusement. Somehow he got the feeling that the boys would be more protective of her then they were now with her adoption. 'I really want to make her feel like she's part of the family, learn what family really is about. I don't want to judge her upbringing but I can say she probably hasn't really ever experienced how a close family is.'

'Does that mean she gets the Cartwright name then?'

'Yes Hoss, if she wants to. Regardless if she does or not, she's a Cartwright now. Taking on our name doesn't mean anything, its how we feel in our hearts that matters.'

'Well I'll be proud to call her my sister.' Joe got up, putting another log on the fire. 'She's one heck of a girl.'

'You got that right.' Hoss agreed. 'She was up in that loft stacking bales before she went to bed.'

'She what? She's supposed to be on light duties.'

'I made sure she didn't do any more Pa, you got my word on that.'

A small grin tugged at the corners of Adam's mouth. 'Looks like you'll be getting some more grey hair yet, and not compliments of us three.'

'I'll be having words with her tomorrow about that.' He muesed. 'I have a feeling Missie might just be as stubborn and hardheaded as you three.'

'Sure might make things more interesting Pa.' Joe chuckled with a grin. 'I'm looking forward to this.'

For the first time in a long time the girl slept the night through, only woken when the kitten who'd been fast asleep started nudging her with her cold nose. 'Hope, cut it out.' She chuckled as her whiskers tickled her cheek. The kitten nudged again, coming back again after she'd pushed her away. She sighed, opening her eyes to see the light filtering in through the window. The sun was up high in the sky and she hurried out of bed in surprise. She'd overslept, it was nigh to noon.

Hope padded softly across her bed as she dressed, the kitten meowing softly and she chuckled as it tried to jump across to her. 'Your right active this morning hey.' The kitten jumped back onto the bed and meowed again at her softly. She watched her antics with a smile on her face, swiftly doing up the buttons on her dress. Her pistol, hidden underneath her pillow was placed in her hidden holster then she set about fixing her hair up into a braid. Hope ran along the edge of the bed as she walked past, attaching herself to the girls dress. 'Owwwwwww- Hope!' She complained as she dug the kittens claws from her blouse. 'Here.' She placed the kitten over her shoulder, Hope puring loudly next to her ear as she settled down. 'There you go, happy now.'

Hope nuzzled her ear as she returned to fixing her hair and she giggled when she felt her wet nose on her warm skin. 'Cut that Hope, your going to make me later then I already am.' The kitten purred louder, batting her hands with her paws while she worked. Finally she'd finished, her kitten quite content to play with her hair as she left her room.

The living room was silent and empty as she made her way down the stairs, the only person in the room being Ben Cartwright at his desk working over a book. She went over to him, the man looking up at the sound of her footsteps. 'Morning Missie.'

'Good morning Sir, I'm sorry I overslept so much, I know my chores need to be done-'

'There's no need to worry about that my dear.' He replied with a kind smile, motioning for her to take a seat as he put the ledger away. 'Did you sleep well?'

'For the first time in a long time.' The girl sat down across from him, her kitten still purring loudly. 'I must have needed the extra rest.'

'You have been overdoing it a bit my dear, Hoss told me about you and the bales last night.'

'I just want to earn my keep, I've got some time to catch up on.'

'That may be the case but you're still recovering and you need to be careful.' He reprimanded softly. 'How are you and the kitten getting along?'

She chuckled, scratching Hope's neck as the kitten nuzzled her again. 'Wonderfully. She's a treasure, slept beside me all night. I can't thank Adam enough for bringing her back for me.'

'Adam thinks a lot of you, I wasn't so keen on the idea of having a kitten in the house, I've never had animals in the house but he convinced me it'd be good for you. By the smile on your face I'd say that he made the right call.'

'Thank you for letting me have her, thank you so much.'

'Your welcome my dear.' A smile spread across his face watching the girl interacting with the kitten. Missie hadn't been so happy for a long time, in fact he couldn't remember her being so genuinely and innocently happy as she was now playing with the kitten. The kitten had done what they'd been unable to do. Bring the girl enough peace she was able to sleep without being troubled by a nightmare for a single night. 'Missie, I was hoping I might speak with you about something that has been on my mind for sometime. Why don't you and I go take a seat in the living room?'

The girl nodded, returning to business and followed him over in front of the fireplace. She sat down on the couch, the older gentleman taking place beside her. 'Have I done something wrong?'

'No my dear, not at all.' He reassured gently. 'Missie, since you've been here we've come to grow rather fond of you as you might know. You know when we offered you to stay it was without string attached and you might go when you pleased. Well, I've been thinking over the situation, you staying here with us with myself as your custodian.' He paused for a moment then took the girls hands in his, looking in her eyes. 'What I'm trying to say is we'd very much like to adopt you into our family, officially.'

Missie's eyes widened in disbelief. 'You-your thinking of adopting me?'

'I've thought of it for a long time young lady, I've spoken with Adam, Hoss and Little Joe and they are more then happy for me to put in for your adoption. You can become part of our family officially, if that's what you would like.'

'Are-are you sure? Are you sure you'd want to do that?' Her eyes began to water, ignoring Hope as the kitten purred in her ear. 'You really want me to become part of your family?'

'Very much so sweetheart. We already think of you as family but this would make it official. It's your desicion, I won't force it upon you. As you might remember I have mentioned I hope one day you'll think of us as family and with adoption you'd be giving me a daughter and my son's a sister. In return we'd be giving you a family. I know we can't replace your family and we wouldn't dream of it but we are offering to give you a chance at having a family again.'

Missie's lip quivered with emotion. She'd been trying to convince herself it was best she didn't grow close to them lest she be hurt again but she truly yearned for love and care a family could provide. She'd tried convincing herself it was only one sided, that maybe they didn't feel the same way about her that she did about them. In his proposal though those walls were broken down like they'd been made of straw. They wanted her. They truly wanted her. 'I-I don't know what to say.'

'I understand I've given you a lot to think about, you take your time making up your mind.'

She shook her head. 'No, Mr. Cartwright. I don't need time to think. Yes. Yes I'd be happy for you to adopt me. I'd be happy to become part of your family, for you to become mine.' Tears of joy started running down her cheeks. 'Thank you, thank you for offering me this.'

'Your welcome.' Ben smiled broadly, wiping the tears off her eyes. 'I think you might call me 'Pa' if you wish.'

Missie nodded, a small smile of her own coming to her lips. 'Alright, Pa.'

'That's my girl.' He invited the girl for a hug. 'Come here.'

She obliged, hugging him back and closed her eyes as he held her. He wanted her. They wanted her. As broken and wounded as she was they truly wanted her. There was no doubt in her mind now, not a one. She was a part of the family now, they were hers. There was a place for her in this world after all. Right here. Right here was where she belonged. She looked up at him after a moment and he tucked a lock of her hair back behind her ear. 'I never thought I'd have family again. You don't know just how much this means to me, Pa.' She smiled a little at the word. 'I thought there'd never be a place for me anywhere after what happened yet you've given me a home, a family.'

'And you've given me a daughter who I promise to love just as much as my own flesh and blood. You're giving my sons a sister and I know they'll love you just as much as they do each other. Your a Cartwright now, just as much as if you were born into the family. It's what's inside that counts and I love you very much.'

'And I love you Pa.'

Ben knew he'd could never get tired of hearing her call him that, the girl looking up at him with pure joy on her face. 'I mightn't always get things right as time goes on, I've only ever raised sons so you'll have to help me if I'm not doing something right.'

'I will but I think you've been doing a pretty fine job already.' She chuckled. 'Where are the boys? I want to go tell them.'

'They're out on the range checking some cattle. Adam was going to stay behind to wait to work on Hope's cage but I told him to go on with them as you needed to sleep.'

'Can we go ride out to them then?'

'I don't see why not but don't you want to get something to eat first?'

'If I don't get to tell them soon I might just burst with happiness.'

He laughed and stood up, the girl following his lead. 'Alright then, we'll go find them and tell them the news.'

Missie was at the door grabbing her hat before he'd made it halfway there. 'Come on then, don't dilly dally.'

'I'm coming.' Ben reached the door and took his gunbelt off its hook, placing it on and tying it down around his leg. 'How'd you feel about taking on the Cartwright name with your adoption?'

'I took on my Pa's name when Ma married him because it was a new life and a new name is fitting for a new life. I'll try and do the Cartwright name proud Pa.'

'I'm glad to hear that.' He put his hat on, his hand on the girls shoulder as they walked out to the barn. 'We'll have to go to Virginia City to see the judge and get it all legal, how about tomorrow we go in and see him then on the weekend we can throw a party and invite some folks to meet the newest member of the Cartwright family.'

'I ain't ever had a party before.'

'They're lots of fun-' He picked up Buck's tack and carried it over to his gelding while the girl set about tacking up the mare. 'There's good food, dancing, conversation. The Ponderosa knows how to put on a good shin dig.'

'I don't know much bout dancing either I'm afraid.' She had to coax the mare a little to take the bit but finally it was in and she could finish bridling her up. 'I've never learnt to dance.'

'I'm sure one of us can give you a couple lessons before Saturday. It's not that hard to get the hang of.'

'Alright then, I'll give it a go. I'll have to pick something to wear.' She tightened the cinch again then led the mare from the barn, her kitten still on her shoulder. 'You'd best go in the saddlebag I think missie, don't want you falling off and getting hurt.'

Ben led his horse out after hers and mounted, waiting for her to be ready. 'I was thinking we might get Mrs. O'dell to make a nice party dress for you, your other dresses are nice but you should have something fancy for special occasions.'

'Sure, if you say so.' She settled in the saddle, her kitten securely away in the saddlebag and nudged her mare forward after the buckskin. 'You sure it's right having a party though? Folks mightn't like it much you adopting a girl like me with my history.'

'Missie, you don't concern yourself with what others think. What they think about this frankly is none of our business anyway. We don't care about your past, we accept you for who you are, not what your past entails. If anyone has a problem with my adopting you they are more then welcome to take it up with me. I'll be more then happy to put them in their rightful place.'

'I guess it's hard to break old habits. Ma was ostracized by the people of Shale Valley because of her past, I came to accept that was how we deserved to be treated, coming from that line of breeding.'

'Missie, no one deserves to be judged or treated unfairly because of their parents or what job they worked. Some folks just like to think they're better than everyone else and have to put others down to achive that.' He urged Buck into a canter and the girl hastened her horse after him. 'Its not fair and its not right but its what happens.'

'At least it taught me to have thick skin, I didn't care about the kids at the school picking on me about it but when they picked on my siblings I sure ended it. Ma used to joke I was like a grizzly bear protecting her cubs.' She chuckled for a moment then turned sober. 'I protected them from what I could, does it make me bad I couldn't protect them from their own father.'

'From what I understand my dear there was nothing more you could do, nothing at all. You tried your best, that's all your Ma would have wanted. They're in a better place now, how do you think they'd feel watching you beating yourself up because of what happened.'

'Ma would tell me to woman up. I know what your meaning Pa, it's just hard though.'

'I know, I've been there myself. Hoss's mother was killed during an Indian attack on the trail. I kept asking myself over and over what I might have done differently, how I could have saved her. Over time I had to learn to accept the fact there was nothing I could have done. I had to let it go and move on, for my son's sake.'

'I'm trying to let go, I am. With my father dead at least I've got that closure that he received his just reward. I just miss them so much, it feels like yesterday it happened.'

'And it'll be like that for some time yet, greif is an individual thing one has to go through. You can't put a time limit on it, it's unique to each and every person.' He turned his horse off the trail to cross a grassy meadow. 'They should be around here somewhere.'

Missie looked around, spotting them with some cattle to the right of them. 'There they are.'

Adam put his paper he'd been writing the cattle tally on back in his pocket as his father and Missie rode up, Hoss and Little Joe letting the cattle return to grazing. 'Morning Missie, you convinced Pa to let you come see what we were to get?'

'Not quite.' She replied as she dismounted, giving Daisy a pat as Hoss and Little Joe came over to join them. 'I've got some news for you. Your Pa asked if he could adopt me and I said yes. You three are stuck with a sister I'm afraid.'

'Stuck with a sister?' Hoss laughed, picking the girl up by the waist and spun her around. 'That's just about the best news I've heard all week.'

'Hey, put me down.' She chuckled. 'I'm scared of heights.'

'Sorry Lil Miss.' He places her firmly back on the ground again. 'But that's great news.'

Joe patted her on the shoulder. 'Least I get to be the older one for a change.'

'Well, seeing as my two brothers have seemingly lost their manners-' Adam teased with a grin, giving the girl a warm hug. 'Welcome to the family Missie.'