Author's Notes

Hello guys! So, this is a short chapter, but the next one is long and has a lot going on in it. I will post it as soon as possible, just doing finishing touches. Again, your reviews really make my day, I so enjoy reading them. They keep me going. Thank you all.

Chapter 12

Adam's mood was greatly improved after his visit to Virginia City and everyone in the family felt it. The following day turned out to be one of the best days Hoss and Joe could remember having with their older brother since he returned home. Although it was Sunday, they decided to skip church and instead went up to the lake—the place they all held more sacred than anywhere else. They spent the day fishing, joking around and even singing a little, which inadvertently scared the fish away. And they each spent time just being quiet; breathing in the divine, fresh air and taking in the magnificent sight of pine trees and mountains reflected in the calm water.

To Joe, it felt almost like he was a kid again as he sat there between his brothers on the rocky lake shore, feeling relaxed and happy. On his left side was Hoss—the person he had always been able to count on to cheer him up and liven up his day. The big, gentle hearted moose, whose loyalty was as great as his physical strength, who had protected Joe from any kind of harm all his life whether he wanted it or not. Hoss was the other constant in his life except for his pa.

And then, as Joe looked to his right side, there was Adam. His unbreakable oldest brother who'd in many ways been like a second father to him. The one he'd always looked to for guidance when his pa wasn't around and the one he'd gone to with problems he couldn't take anywhere else. Yes, unbreakable, that was the word for Adam. As far as Joe knew, his older brother hadn't yet faced a problem that couldn't be outwitted or a hindrance that couldn't be overcome.

Times like these made Joe think about how much he'd taken them for granted, those brothers of his. It was hard being the youngest; he'd always felt like that, but he'd also reached an age now where he could logically recognize that it would have been a darn sight harder being the oldest. While he still resented their teasing and babying him, his conscience nagged him about the times he hadn't treated them as well as he probably should have. Especially Adam.

He'd had a lot more clashes with Adam over the years than with Hoss because, boy, his oldest sibling sure knew how to get under a fella's skin.

But Joe would never forget how he'd longed for Adam to correct him, tease him and even give him a dressing-down during those four years of being apart. He'd prayed desperately for his brother to return home safely someday to do all of those things.

There had been one night, a couple of years after Adam left, where Joe had woken from a terrifying nightmare. He'd seen his brother's death—something which unfortunately wasn't an uncommon event in his dreams at the time. But that particular night was different. He'd been there, on a big, green field and he saw Adam felled by a bullet to the chest, fired from an invisible foe's gun. He watched as Adam choked on his own blood, as he lay there gasping for help, stretching out a shaking arm towards him. The worst thing was, that Joe couldn't move at all in the dream. He stood rooted to the ground, unable to help or comfort his suffering brother and desperate to wake up from the horrific sight.

When he'd finally escaped his nightmare, his pillow was wet with tears and he started sobbing.

His father came into his room eventually, although Joe never knew when. He just remembered clinging to those strong arms, not caring about how much he wanted to be treated like a grown man because at that instant, he was a frightened boy. It was probably impressive that his pa was able to make out the wrecked noises and broken words he got out, but that deep voice simply mumbled, "It's okay, Joe. I understand. It's going to be all right," and soothed him until the worst was over.

That was when Joe said how sorry he was for everything—for the arguments and for the way he'd sometimes treated Adam before he left. He begged his father to forgive him because he was afraid that he would never get the chance to make it up to his oldest brother. But to Joe's confusion, his pa shed his own tears then and said that he had nothing to be sorry for because Adam had also been to blame for their quarrels.

"Joe, all young men have phases of rebellion. Adam wasn't always patient and understanding enough of that with you, probably because he wasn't shown those things as often as he should have been in his own youth."

At the time, the words had made Joe feel a bit better, but the guilt still carried with him, even to now where he knew that he was beyond lucky to be sitting next to Adam again.

Joe looked out across the water, pondering over the memory that was still so clear in his mind when a voice to his left suddenly ripped him back to the present.

"Somethin' wrong, shortshanks?"

Turning to Hoss, Joe stared dumbly at him. "Huh?"

"You're just lookin' awful serious. I bet you're scarin' all them fish away with that brooding mood."

Joe's ears reddened when he felt Adam's penetrating eyes settle on him from his other side.

"You okay, Joe?"

"Sure, I'm okay," he said quickly, moving a few pebbles with his boot. "Can't a fella concentrate on catching a fish? If there are even any left on this side of the lake after your singing, Hoss"

With a laughing grunt, Hoss stuck the wooden pole his fishing line was tied to down in between some rocks.

"Them fish appreciated me singing to 'em, I can tell ya. It musta been you skippin' stones that sent them runnin' for the hills."

"I don't believe that phrase can be applied to finned creatures."

"Swimmin' for the hills then, Adam, will that make ya happy?"

Glancing to his right, Joe saw the usual half smile playing on Adam's lips as he watched his fishing line. The three brothers sat in companionable silence for a while until a high-pitched eagle's cry from above made them look up. The bird sailed gracefully through the air and as Joe's eyes followed it, he noted how far across the sky the sun had progressed.

"Hop Sing sure won't be impressed if the three of us come home with nothing."

"Mmm," Adam hummed, also studying the eagle. "He probably won't even bother with supper."

Joe looked over at him, catching the little playful glimmer in his gaze.

"Yea, I guess you're right, Adam. After all, we said we'd bring home fish. And it's getting real late."

Listening to his brothers, Hoss shifted uneasily on the chair-shaped rock he'd found himself, his eyebrows bumping up his furrowed forehead.

"You really think ol' Hop Sing won't put somethin' else together? I mean we can't go to bed hungry dadgummit!"

Adam leisurely stretched out his long legs. "I wouldn't worry, Hoss. We won't be forced to sleep on an empty stomach, you know he always keeps cans of beans at hand for emergencies."

"Yea," Joe broke in, "and there's still some chicken left over for . . . oh, about half a sandwich, I think."

That prospect was obviously unappealing to Hoss and his shoulders sagged as he studied the slack line.

"Sunday meals are usually extra special. I look forward to 'em all week . . ."

Adam's eyes met Joe's, quietly conveying that the teasing wasn't over yet.

"Maybe you should try serenading the fish again. I bet they'll be ready to jump right out of the water when they hear those melodious vocal skills of yours."

That drew a loud cackle from Joe and he threw his head back, releasing it up into the air.

"Dang it Little Joe, you quit that right now or them fish won't ever come near here!"

Hoss grabbed at his giggling little brother in an attempt to silence him when Adam's excited voice called out across the still water.

"Hoss! Your fishing line!"

"Doggone you Adam, you stop that yellin' or we ain't never gonna—"

"HOSS! You've got a bite! Grab the line!"

Hoss turned to stare blankly at the taut fishing line, his hands still on Joe's arms as Adam made a mad dash to crawl past his youngest brother. Somehow, he ended up sprawled across Joe instead—kneeing the younger man in the stomach which elicited a grunt of pain—and then they both gaped in wide-eyed fascination when Hoss suddenly leaped up, tripped over a rock and spun in the air like an acrobat in the direction of the tilting fishing pole. He hit the graveled ground hard but managed to latch onto the pole just as it jiggled free from the rocks. What followed was a brief but entertaining struggle, which provoked a string of grunts and cuss-words from the big man until finally—a huge trout flipped out of the water and landed on the shore.

A nudge to his ribs reminded Adam that his kid brother was still trapped underneath him and they both got up and went over to admire the flapping fish.

"Well, I'll be . . . I told ya they were in there! See, now we just gotta catch ourselves a few of his pals."

"Sure, Hoss," Adam said, patting him on the back, "but I doubt we'll catch anything as big as him. He's a beauty."

"Sure is," Joe agreed.

"Well, we ain't gonna catch nothin' by standing here gawking." Hoss knelt beside the fish and pointed up at his brothers. "Now Joe, you get back to watching them poles and Adam, you get to singin'. The thought of beans for supper is just plain disturbin'."

Adam stood straight and saluted his younger sibling before heading off to do as he'd been told.

Joe smiled, watching them both and he took a moment to savor the deep feeling of gratitude running through him. Overprotective and irritating as they could be, he knew that he had the best two brothers anyone could wish for. There were so many families across the country who weren't fully reunited and they never would be—except for in heaven, maybe. Far too many brothers would never be back to annoy their other siblings.

There was nothing he could do about any of that, but as Joe followed Adam, he vowed to cherish these special moments with his family.