I will be editing this story as it still has yet more to tell(i have to add more to the story)
"Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Izzi
Happy Birthday to you!"
"Make a wish, Iz!" Joe said, excitedly.
She blew out the candles, wishing for something that would soon come true.
"Are the presents wrapped, Hop-Sing?" Pa asked.
"Presents ready for Missy Isabelle, Mister Cartwright," Hop-Sing answered.
"Whatcha wish for, Iz?" Hoss asked.
"I can't tell you, or it won't come true," Izzi answered.
Joe picked Izzi up by her ankles, and that's when she knew he was about to do it.
"No, Joe! Please no!" Izzi said in between laughs due to being tickled by her second family.
"No no no! Today's your birthday and this is what you gonna get!"
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Jake Kane came rushing in, worry covering his face.
"Izzi, your mother was really sick. Your father ran out to get Doc Martin with only leaving Marylyn with your mother to take care of her. A gang of men came out and shot your family dead. All of them," Jake announced, sadness and grief evident in his voice.
Izzi felt herself becoming very dizzy, fainting only a second later, murmuring the words, "I'm orphaned."
¥^~~~~~…~~~~~^¥
Izzi woke up to the feeling of a wet rag on her head. She looked up to see Mr. Cartwright looking down at her.
Izzi's mother and he were really close. He would come over to visit with the boys at his tail. Izzi and her family made Mr. Cartwright feel as if they were his second family. Izzi and the boys were close enough to be siblings.
Adam was always overprotective over her when she came over or when they came to her house. He would stay in her room with her when she was sick, holding and cradling her. He would play his guitar for her and sing "Beautiful Dreamer," singing her to sleep.
Mr. Cartwright propped Izzi into a sitting position. He had tears in his eyes, notifying Izzi what she thought Jake had told her the night before was true. Connor had come once he knew she was in the caring hands of the Cartwrights.
"Are you feeling alright, Hon?" Mr. Cartwright asked.
"Y-yes," Izzi answered in a hoarse voice.
"Would you like some water?"
Izzi only nodded, for fear of losing her voice by using it too much. He fingered the teacup, carefully letting her sip the cool, refreshing water.
When she was done sipping the water, Mr. Cartwright embraced her, for she was crying. Adam came over and sat next to us, shooing everyone else away. He knew I wanted to be alone with him and my future father.
"Iz, you're going to stay with Jake and Connor until we can get the adoption papers ready. And when we gain custody of you, you're going to be a Cartwright," Adam explained.
¥^~~~~~…~~~~~^¥
POV Change: Izzi's POV
"Iz, Iz! Wake up!"
"Not now, Jake!"
"Isabella Eve Jane Cartwright! Get on your feet and get ready now!"
This time, it wasn't Jake calling my name, it was Adam!
"Ok, ok! I'm getting up! Move, Jeka!"
Ok, let's settle something. Jake hates it when I call him Jeka. To him, it means I'm calling him an idiot(which I'm not).
"Fine, Evella! I'm movin', I'm movin'."
When I had all my stuff ready, I saddled Black Beauty. Adam and I rode all the way from Virginia City to the Ponderosa.
Adam and I were extremely close. He would hold me when I was sick, needed comfort, or just wanted a hug. Now I was going to be with him forever as his little sister.
¥^~~~~~…~~~~~^¥
"Adam, tell Joe to get a bucket. Izzi isn't feeling well."
"Yes, Pa. Joe, get a bucket! Izzi's sick and might need it by her bedside!"
I threw up near my bedside again. Adam was cleaning it up, while Pa was rocking me to sleep. After Adam cleaned up my mess, Joe handed him the bucket.
Pa, Joe, and Adam headed towards the door once they thought I was fine, specifically in that order. When Adam stepped a toe into the doorway, I whimpered. I didn't like being alone when I was sick.
"What's wrong, Honey?" Adam asked.
"I...I don't want to be left alone," I whispered with tears in my eyes.
"Hey, I'll be right here. How about I ask Hoss to stay here with you as I get my guitar so I can play a song for you."
"S-sure...I l-like th-that I...idea."
"I'm glad, Honey. Hoss, come here."
"Yes, Adam?" Hoss asked.
"Can you handle to watch Izzi as I get my guitar?"
"Sure, brother, I can handle it."
Adam left the room in one swift movement.
"Hey, Izzi," Hoss said hesitantly, as if he was scared to offend me.
"Hi, Hoss. How's it going for you?" I asked.
"Pretty well, actually. I'm mighty sorry that you're sick. Maybe if one of us stay with you, it wouldn't be so bad."
"Already ahead of ya. But, how about you three each take turns?"
"That sounds like a fine, fine idea!"
"Just what are you two talking about?" Adam asked in playful suspicion.
"Oh, Hoss. How about you three of my brothers take turns watching me. I'm a criminal in jail and need more than one shift to watch me," I said, playfully ignoring Adam's question.
"Mighty fine idea. I'll have to ask the sheriff," Hoss replied.
"Well, the sheriff would say that I take first shift, brother," Adam said.
"How'd ya know? Ya never asked him."
"Yes, but I'm the oldest, so he would agree to me taking first shift. So, how about you just move yourself on out so she and I can have some privacy."
"Yeah, alright. See ya next shift, Iz!"
"See ya, Hoss!" I said.
Pa's nickname for me is Hon, Adam's is Honey, Hoss' is Iz, and Little Joe's is Paris(don't ask me why he calls me Paris).
I'm also known as Bunny, Evella, Belles, Izeva, Rain, Elli, Berry, T.A.T.(The Animal Tamer), A.L.S.(Adam's Little Sister), Evabelle, and T.H.T.(The Hat Taker).
Each shift is 3 hours:
First Shift=F.S.
Second Shift=S.S.
Third Shift=T.S.
F.S.
Adam played a beautiful song on his guitar, lulling me to sleep. But, before I could settle in, I leaned over the bedside and vomited into the bucket. Adam came over and laid under the covers with me in his arms.
"I hate throwing up! I hate it. It's painful and exhausting," I complained.
"Well, it's your body's way of getting rid of the bad things," Adam replied.
"Like how you get rid of trespassers on the Ponderosa?"
"Yeah, I guess so. You really are something, Honey. You really are."
"I know, Addie. You've said it millions of times. So has Pa."
"Just remember: everything Pa and I say about you is always true. We love you, we really do."
Adam, if I wasn't your sister, I'd have a crush on you, I wanted to say out loud. But really, instead of keeping it in my head, I murmured it very softly. Still, Adam heard what I mumbled.
"Well, if I wasn't your brother, I'd still think of you as my best friend."
"Oh, Addie, I love you! I really do. Don't tell Hoss or LJ, but you're my favorite brother. I don't love you more than them, though. I love everyone the same."
"That's the thing. If I were to leave, who would you have?"
"You're not thinking about leaving."
"No, but maybe one day, say in a year or two, you might be hurt when I have to leave."
"Well, I'll still have LJ, Hoss, and Pa. Don't ya worry about me, I'll be in good care. Hoss and LJ'll prolly watch me 24 hours every single day while you're gone."
"You really are my best friend."
"Really?"
"Really."
S.S.
Hoss came in after Adam and I were finished with our nap(yes, brothers and sisters can sleep together).
"So, uh, how ya feeling?"
"Better than ever. But that's only because of my three watchdogs. They've been taking shifts to watch me so I don't attempt to escape."
"Well, it's fer ya own good. The Sheriff says if ya not hanged, ya be shot."
"What? Seriously, Hoss. I swear to my family's graves you're trying ta-,"
"I ain't tryin' to do nothin' to ya. I just want you to know ya safe and I love you, Sis."
"L.Y.T."
"Huh?"
"Love You Too!"
"Awe, well I'm only the animal caretaker of the Ponderosa."
"No, not just that. You're also my brother. And one of my best friends."
"Yer somethin' else, kid. Ya really are."
"Well, I'm only the sick filly."
"Now, wait just a minute. Ya may be a sick filly now, but not everyday. Just today, but you're always a lively filly."
"Awe, thank you! Y.T.B.!"
"Huh?"
"You're The Best!"
"Why, thank you, Ma'am. I never really had anyone say that to me before, outside of Pa."
Two hours later:
I leaned over the bedside, making sure my mouth was lined up with the bucket, and let loose.
"I wish I could never vomit again!"
"Hey, now it's just the bad stuff coming out. It'll be ok in the end."
"Am I late?" a voice asked.
"No, LJ. I'd just about say you're right on time," I replied.
T.S.
"I might be sick, but I still say I want to sit up!"
"Now listen: you may want to sit up, but it may affect your stomach in a bad way."
"Fine," I mumbled.
I leaned over the bedside and all the vomit waterfalled into the bucket.
"Oh, Paris. You're gonna feel better soon. It isn't so bad after it's over."
It happened again and again, and now worry buried Little Joe's face. My face was as white as snow and I was cold as ice.
"P-Pa! You better come in here! Quick!"
Pa came rushing in, fear spread across his face.
"Joe, get Doc Martin! Adam, get in here!" Pa said in fear.
"Yes, Pa?" Adam asked.
"Stay with her. I'll ride out to Virginia City with Joe to get Doc Martin."
"Yes, Pa."
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POV Change: Adam's POV
"A-Adam," Iz whispered.
"Shh, don't try to talk."
I looked at her with empathy, for I had to go through the same thing. I love her. She's my sister, my best friend. I have to live up to that.
"A-Adam, c-c-can yo-you get m-me a gl-glass of w-water?"
"Yes."
I propped her into a sitting position, slowly lifting the cup to her mouth to let her sip the cool, refreshing water.
"A-am I dy-dying?"
"No, Honey. You're going to be fine. God has his hand over you."
"I know. When I think about that, I'm not so scared anymore."
"I'm happy to hear that. Pa should be here soon."
I'm usually right when I say something like that. I guess it's my sense of intuition.
The next thing we knew, Pa came stumbling through the door with Doc Martin and Little Joe on his tail. When they finally reached my room, Pa knew something Izzi and I didn't.
"She should've been treated earlier, Ben. I'm afraid there's not much I can do for her," Doc Martin said.
"What can be done?" Pa asked.
"Well, I can see if I can get in contact with a hospital doctor. They would be able to do something about it."
"And, if you can't?"
"Pray."
¥^~~~~~…~~~~~^¥
That night, I was sleeping with Izzi, making sure she was safe, when the bedroom door opened. I heard footsteps coming closer, but for some odd reason, I couldn't move. The next thing I knew, I felt a hard hit to my head.
When I awoke, Izzi was gone!
POV Change: Izzi's POV
I was in the living room, sleeping on the settee. I didn't remember how I got there; all I could remember was Adam's warmth.
I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. When I looked up, I saw it was Adam.
"What are you doing down here? I thought you wanted to sleep with me." He sounded hurt.
"I'm sorry, but it's closer to the bathroom," I replied, my voice hoarse.
"Well, is it ok if I come down here and sit with you?"
"Sure, be my honorary guest."
He sat down on the edge of the settee, carefully placing my legs on his lap.
"Why did you hit me on the head?"
"Huh?" I asked, totally confused.
"I sa—,"
"I know what you said, but I didn't hit your head."
"Then who did?"
"And who brought me out here?"
We thought for a second, then it came to us!
"Little Joe!" we yelled in unison.