Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or Bonanza. I am only borrowing them.
Takes place after Buffy jumps to save Dawn.
Ben Cartwright and his three sons were on their way to Virginia City when they found Buffy Summers on their land not far from the house. They had found her lying on the road with multiple gashes on her body. The biggest gash was across her stomach. On the back of her head was a goose-egg the size of a golf ball. Ben, Hoss, and a five-year-old Little Joe got her settled in the wagon while eldest brother Adam rode to town for the doctor. They quickly rushed her back to the house.
When Buffy had finally woken up it was to see two boys sitting by her bed playing checkers. They were both younger than her. One was a burly child and the other was just the opposite.
"You're awake! Little Joe, go tell Pa and Doc Martin that she's awake." The little boy who looked to be about five ran from the room.
"Papa! She's awake!" Little Joe yelled from the doorway and then came to stand beside her. "I'm Joe Cartwright and this is my brother Hoss. You're pwetty. What's your name?"
"Joseph what have I told you about yelling in the house?" Ben Cartwright asked his youngest son.
"Sorry papa, but she's awake!" Little Joe said happily.
"Yes Joseph, she is. I'm Ben Cartwright and this is my son Adam and you've already met my other two sons. This is Doc Martin. He's been looking after you."
"You've been one sick young lady Miss…"
"Summers. Buffy Summers. Where am I?"
"You're at my home. My sons and I found you."
"Ben, I'd like to examine her. Why don't you and the boys go downstairs while I check her wounds?" Ben nodded and herded his children out of the room and closed the door. "Let's have a look. Lift your shirt and let me get a look at your stomach."
Buffy did and Doc Martin began removing the bandage. Once the bandage was removed, she saw how big his eyes got.
"Incredible. Yesterday this was still bleeding and now it looks like it over a week old."
"I've always been a fast healer." She told him.
"How does your head feel?"
"No headaches if that's what you're asking. I'm a little tired and hungry but other than that I feel fine."
"Well let's take a look and see if that bump went down. You had quite the goose egg yesterday."
Doc Martin moved so he could reach her head and began moving her hair. It was then that Buffy noticed how long her hair was.
"Everything looks all right back here too. If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it."
"Like I said I'm a fast healer. Doc, can you tell me what the date is?"
"July 1st …"
"1846?" Buffy asked the number suddenly popping into her head.
"That's right. Do you remember how you got hurt?"
Buffy knew how she got hurt back in her time, but she couldn't explain it to him, so she went with the amnesia bit.
"Doc, I can't remember. The last thing I remember is getting off the stage in Virginia City." Buffy realized that the PTB were providing her with false memories that would fit this time.
"You had quite a bump on your head which has probably caused you to block what happened to you. Do you feel up to joining us downstairs?" Buffy nodded.
"Do you know where my clothes are or is there something else, I can wear?"
"I believe Ben had Hop Sing put some clothes out for you." Doc Martin pointed to the dress that was hanging in the closet. "There's a fresh pitcher of water and some towels on the dresser. I'll give you a chance to get dressed and see if Hop Sing can rustle you up something to eat."
Buffy nodded and waited for him to leave before getting out of bed. The first thing she did was look at herself in the mirror to see that she had reverted in age about seven years. She looked like she did when she was fifteen. Staring at herself in the mirror she was suddenly overcome with memories of a life in this time.
When Buffy finally came down, she saw that Doc Martin and Ben were talking. Hoss and Joe had moved on to playing with Joe's blocks, and Adam was reading in a chair. They all looked up when they heard her coming down the steps.
"It's a little big on me but I made do." Buffy said as she reached the last step in her stocking feet.
"You look very nice Miss Summer's." Ben spoke as Hop Sing came out with a plate full of sandwiches. "Hop Sing has some lunch ready for you."
"I'm starving. I think I could eat a horse."
"There in the barn." Little Joe giggled.
"Really maybe we could have one for dinner. There's nothing like a fried stallion." Buffy said with such a straight face. She winked at Little Joe as she sat at the table. Little Joe giggled again.
"Doctor Martin here was just telling us that you have no memory of how you got hurt. Do you have any family we can contact?" Ben asked her. Buffy had just taken a bite out of her sandwich and had to swallow hard.
"No. My father left my mother, sister, and myself about two years ago. At first, he would write frequently checking up on my sister Dawn and myself but even the letters soon became scarce. About six months ago Mom got sick with the fever and it was left to me to take care of Dawn and all the chores. Mom continued to get sicker and it wasn't long before Dawn caught it as well. I wrote my father, but he never came. We had no money and very little food. I couldn't afford a doctor and both Mom and Dawn died."
Tears were now falling freely down her face. The sandwich she was eating had been long forgotten. It was Adam who handed her a handkerchief.
"Thank you." She said with a teary voice. "For the past four months I've been making my way east working at any place that would hire me. I've even worked as a cowhand at a ranch for almost two months until the foremen followed me one day when I went to bathe in the nearby lake."
"I imagine he was quite surprised." Adam commented with a bit of a smile.
"He wasn't the only one. I came to Virginia City hoping to find a job…I wish I could remember what happened to me."
"Don't stress over it. It may never come back to you." Dr. Martin told her. "I want you to rest for the rest of today but you're free to do as you please tomorrow."
"Do I have to stay in bed?"
"No, you could stay down here as long as you don't stray from the settee."
The knock on the door drew everybody's eyes to it. Adam got up and answered the door to find Sheriff Coffee.
"Afternoon Adam, I thought I might stop by to see how your young visitor was doing and bring her this."
"She's up and about. She was just telling us a little about herself, but she doesn't remember what happened to her. Come on in and see for yourself." Adam motioned for him to enter.
Roy entered to see that Buffy was sitting at the table the rest of the family was standing or sitting by her.
"Good afternoon Roy."
"Good afternoon Ben, Paul, boys. Adam told me the little lady was awake."
"She is indeed. Buffy Summers, this is Sheriff Roy Coffee." Buffy put her sandwich down and put her hand out and Roy shook it.
"It's nice to meet you sir. Is that my bag?" The Sheriff nodded and handed it to her. "Where did you find it?"
"Pete from the hotel brought it to me this morning when you hadn't checked out. Adam here tells me you don't remember what happened to you?"
"I don't. The last thing I remember is getting off the stage."
"I see. Well, I can fill in a bit. I've been asking question and it seems that you were seen at the Bloody Bucket Saloon trying to get a job as a barmaid. Harry turned you down and that was the last anyone saw of you until Ben and the boys found you."
Buffy had a look on her face as if she were trying to remember going to the saloon, but she was drawing a blank.
"I wish I could remember going, but I can't seem to." Buffy opened her bag and began searching through it.
She sighed contently when she saw that her picture frame was still there. Her eyes sadden once again as her finger brushed over her sister and mother. Little Joe moved closer and climbed into Buffy's lap.
"I miss my mama too. Papa told me she's in Heaven." Little Joe said hugging her and then looked at the picture. "She's pwetty. Papa, can Buffy live wif us? She ain't got nobody."
"Buffy can stay as long as she wants Little Joe. It's up to her." Ben told his youngest.
"Will ya? Will ya stay p'wease?" Little Joe looked up at her with puppy dog eyes and a slight pout.
"I don't want to be burden."
"You won't be. We have plenty of room and I believe Little Joe has taken quite the liking to you." Ben told her.
"P'wease stay p'wease." Joe said giving Buffy his full pout. She looked up at Adam's and Hoss's face to see welcoming and hopeful looks.
"If everyone's sure they don't mind then I guess my answer is yes."
"Yea!" Little Joe hugged her and then jumped off her lap. "I'll take your bag to your room."
They all watched as the youngest Cartwright grabbed the bag and struggled with the bag that was almost bigger than him.
"Why don't I carry my bag upstairs and then you can give me a tour of the house, so I'll know where everything is."
"Ok. Come on." Buffy took the bag with one hand and Joe grabbed her other hand pulling her toward the stairs.
Buff wasn't sure about this new life she found herself in, but the Cartwright's seemed nice and Buffy was going to go with it until she could find a way to get back to her own time.