Little Joe walked out of the bunkroom and grabbed an apple from the table as he headed for the front door. He came to an abrupt stop at the sight of Hoss sitting outside.

"Hey, Hoss?" he said. "Can I ask ya somethin'?"

"Sure."

Little Joe sat down beside him on the bench. "What's it like?" he asked. "Bein' blind?"

Hoss didn't answer him at first, but tries to think of the perfect way to explain it. "It's kinda like when we tried to pin the tale on that donkey for your birthday last year."

"Like havin' a bandanna over your eyes?"

"Kinda."

"But ya still know stuff," Joe said. "Like when Tess was here, ya knew it was her. And ya know where stuff is in the house so ya don't walk into it."

"Ya gotta learn that kinda stuff, Little Joe," Hoss explained. "Everythin's real different when ya can't see it. Ya gotta remember a lot more, like where things are, and what people sound like walkin' through the house."

Little Joe paused for a moment. "Are you scared?"

"Yeah," Hoss said. "A little Bit." Hoss and Joe said nothing for a while. There was complete silence. Little Joe didn't even want his apple anymore.

"Are you gonna go to be soon?" Little Joe asked.

"Not for a while, you go 'head." Little Joe slowly stood and put his apple into Hoss' hand.

"It's an apple," Joe said. "I ain't hungry no more."

"Thanks, Joe."

Little Joe turned and walked into the house. As he shut the door, he paused, but after a few moments, began to walk towards Ben's room. He knocked softly on the closed door, waited a minute, and entered.

"Pa?" Little Joe said. His father sat in bed, a book in his hand.

"What's wrong, Little Joe?" Ben asked, putting his book down.

"I was just thinkin'." Joe walked over to the bed and sat down by his father. "Christmas is in three days."

Ben smiled. "I'm glad you reminded me, Joe, I would have forgot."

"Pa, I know that I already wrote my letter, 'bout what I want this year. But... I changed my mind. Is it too late to send another letter?"

Ben sat up a little straighter. "Well, what is it you want instead?"

"Nothing," Joe said. "I don't want any presents this year." Ben looked at him. "I just want it to snow."

"Well, Joseph," Ben said. "It looks like it just might snow for Christmas."

"But that's not it. I want Hoss to see it. He said he ain't never seen it snow on Christmas and I want him to see it. That's all I want this year, Pa."

Ben was speechless. "Come here," he said and Little Joe wiggled closer to him. "That's very noble of you, giving up everything for your brother. But... I don't think that's going to work, son."

"Why not? Ain't Christmas a time for miracles?"

"Yes, but..."

"I've been prayin' real hard, every night. I even told God I'd give up all my presents if Hoss could see it snow on Christmas. God does listen to ya pray, don't he, Pa?"

"Of course he does."

"So! Then Hoss can still see again. I know he can." Little Joe began to cry. "Everything'll be back to the way it was. And Christmas'll be perfect just like it was before Ma..."

Ben put his arms around his son. "It's alright, Little Joe," he said as the boy cried on him.

"It's not fair, Pa. Why does this stuff have to happen? We didn't do anything wrong, did we?"

"No, no of course not."

"Then why do bad things happen if we don't deserve'em to? Why did Ma have to die? Why can't Hoss see?"

"Sometimes, son, life can be bad," Ben explained. "But facing these things can only make us stronger as a family. Look at everything that we had to face coming West. We survived that." Little Joe nodded. "Now, if we could get through that, don't you think we could get through this?"

"I guess," Little Joe sniffled.

"I know," Ben assured him. "Life is full of challenges, Little Joe. But it's only hard to face them when you have to do it alone. You are never alone, son. We are always here facing them with you. And together we'll get through this."