Ben and Joe ran over to the wagon with Hoss following. Joe grabbed the horses' reins stopping it in its tracks. A confused/shocked/upset look came to Ben's face seeing his oldest son in the back of the wagon.
"Adam, Adam son, what happened?" Ben asked softly.
"Josh and his," Adam started but stopped in pain.
"Josh and his friends must have done this Pa," Joe spoke getting a nod from Adam.
"Hoss rush and get the doctor!" Ben ordered and Hoss quickly got onto his horse and rushed to Virginia City to get Doctor Martins.
"They have Maria," Adam whispered in pain gripping his side where the bullet went in.
~*~ Meanwhile ~*~
"Let me go, he's going to die," Maria cried as Josh was trying to get Maria into his tent.
"But Maria, you're mine now!" Josh shouted and slapped her to shut her up.
The tears were falling from Maria's eyes, she was scared as hell to be there and scared that the only guy she came to actually love is going to die.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch Ben glanced at Joe, "Let's get him to the room," Ben said softly. Joe nodded and helped his pa take Adam to the room on the main floor.
After Adam was laying down he started to talk again, "Pa, they," he stopped for a moment, "Josh wants Maria."
"We know son, and when Roy and the doctor come we'll talk to Roy and see what all can and will be done to get her home to you," Ben told his oldest son.
Joe was taking Adam's coat off of him so the doctor can get to his side better. Joe stopped with a smile on his face, "uh, Pa," Joe said and handed Ben the ring box.
Ben took it and slowly opened it. He glanced at Adam who had a smile on his face, "Son, is this the big thing you needed to talk to me about?" Ben softly asked his son who nodded in return, "when we get her back will be the perfect time to ask."
"Thanks Pa," Adam said softly and was praying the doctor would hurry.
Maria was sitting in the little tent type shelter that was made for her to get ready in. The tears were falling down her cheeks. The only thing she wants is to be home with Adam, Ben, Joe and Hoss and be married to Adam, if he ever asked.
"Oh Maria stop that babbling," Maud basically ordered Maria.
Maria wasn't listening since she was humming a song she's heard at the Cartwright house. The images of Adam and her walking hand in hand as they went down the streets in Virginia City, Adam pushing her ever so lightly on the swing he made for a tree behind their house, were going through her mind as she prepared to get married to another man. That thought right there took the smile off her face and the tears to fall even more.
"Why? Why do all this when I don't even love Josh?" Maria asked standing up to face her grandmother.
"You'll come ta love him," Maud replied.
"My heart was taken and no one will get it from him," Maria spoke softly.
"To that Cartwright?" Willow asked and Maria nodded, "he is pretty."
"And kind, nice, caring, hell he even stayed up with me when I had a cold," Maria spoke and heard horses riding up. She sighed when Maud grabbed her hand and dragged her out to the opening between some rocks.
"Now, lets get this over with," Maud demanded and nodded to one of Maria's uncles who held a gun to her.
"Grams?" Willow asked.
"So she has ta say yes," Maud replied, "Josh do you take Maria to be your wife?"
"I do," Josh said.
"Maria do you take Josh to be your husband?" Maud then asked looking at Maria.
Before Maria could answer she heard four guns cock and one get pushed into her back, "I, I do," she whispered not liking the idea but realized that since there's not license or real pastor/judge or priest there it's not a real wedding. Which to her means she can run at night and get back to the love of her life.
"Good place the ring on her hand," Maud said and Josh did, "now kiss and it's done," Maud said and Josh kissed Maria. Maria walked away and sat by a small lake she saw close to where they were staying.
"Let her be for a spell, she'll come around," Maud told Josh who nodded then nodded to his friends to watch her to make sure she won't run. They all went around to where she was but where she couldn't see them and kept an eye on her so she wouldn't try to run.
Maria was in her own little world as she was thinking of ways to get away from Josh and all them. She hated being a Hoad and even being close to the family since they don't like to clean up as often as she does. They say it's a waste to clean yourself more then once a month. But Maria she loves to be neat and clean up at least twice a week. Mostly it's in small lakes or rivers she comes across but other times she'll heat up water on the fire and use that to clean with.
As she was sitting there she heard someone walking up to her and she looked back and saw Josh heading her way. She sighed and stayed quiet, not really wanting to talk to anyone at the moment.
"It's meant ta be Maria," Josh told her.
"No, no it's not," Maria replied with a glare towards Josh. She stood up and went to walk away but he grabbed her arm.
"You's my wife, you's gots ta obey me," Josh told her pulling her close to him and he took her into his arms.
"Let me go, you're hurting me Josh," she told him with a painful look in her eyes.
"I, I loves you Maria," Josh told her and pulled her in for a kiss and since he held her by her wrists and close to his body she couldn't move to get away or slap him.
He pulled back from the kiss, "But that's the thing Josh, I don't love you, never have," Maria spoke and ended up getting dragged to the tent and shoved in. Josh entered and started to take his clothes off, he wanted her as his wife and according to him as his wife she has to do whatever he wants to do and when he wants to.
Meanwhile Ben, Adam, Joe and Hoss were in the main room talking, "Pa, we have to get her back!" Adam shouted for the third time in an hour.
"Adam do not raise your voice at me young man, we will get her back, we just have to wait for Roy and them to come back and tell us where they have her," Ben told his eldest child with a glare.
"Sorry Pa, I love Maria, a lot, with out her I'm lost," Adam said softly with tears on the brims of his eyes.
Joe glanced at his Pa and a smile was on his face. They all just realized what kind of love Adam has for Maria.
"I mean I would kill Josh and whoever tried to stop me to get Maria back," Adam said and painfully sat down since he was still hurting.
"Anyone son?" Ben asked.
"Well everyone who has Maria and won't give her back," Adam replied.
"Okay," Ben started to say and Roy came inside.
"We found where she's at," Roy told them and Adam went to stand, "But."
"But what Roy?" Adam asked.
"From what it looked like they forced her at gun point to marry that Josh guy," Roy replied and Adam sunk into his chair and the tears slowly fell down his cheeks more. He got up and went upstairs to his room, where Maria's things were. He grabbed her book of poetry and opened to the front page and a letter fell out.
He picked the letter up, unfolded it and this is what he read;
"My Darling Adam,
As you're reading this I'm probably with Josh and them, well taken by them I should say. I had a feeling since Maud and everyone showed up here at the house that Josh would take me. I know this is hard on you; it's hard on me being away from you. I also know that there's one thing you and I both want, I can see it in your eyes and the day I find my way home to you it'll come true and I'll be Mrs. Adam Cartwright. I love you and no matter what I will come home to you, even if I have to shoot everyone and come home that way.
I love you Adam,
Maria."
Adam read over the letter a few times and a smile came to his face after realizing that she's wanting to marry him as much as he wants to marry her. There was a knock on the door and Adam put the letter back inside the book.
"It's open," Adam called out and the door opened and Joe came in.
"You all right?" Joe asked sitting on the edge of Adam's bed.
"Yeah, I'll be even better when Maria's home," Adam replied and shifted on the bed a little.
"I bet, Maria is a wonderful lady and you're one lucky man to have her as yours," Joe told him making Adam smile.
"I think we're all lost with out her around," Ben said from the doorway of Adam's room.
"You think? Without her Hoss has no one to pick on besides us, Adam's all lonely and blue and I'm lost with out her since with her around she kept Adam out of my hair," Joe said with a chuckle getting kicked in the lower back by Adam, "Kidding, we're all lost because she was the light of the house and made everyone smile, even when she didn't talk she still made everyone smile."
"Yeah she did, she even made Hop Sing smile a lot since she likes to bake also," Adam said.
Back at the Hoads area Maria was laying next to Josh with the tears falling from her eyes after what Josh forced her to do with him. She hated herself right then and there for trying not to stop him more. But she really couldn't do much with him holding her arms down above her head.
She sat up and slipped her dress and everything back on. Just as she started to stand she felt a hand on her arm, "where ya goin'?" Josh demanded.
"To go sit by the small lake, I'm not tired, you go back to sleep," Maria said sounding like a real wife would.
"Oh, all right, don't be out to late," he said and forced her to kiss him.
"I, I won't be," she said and got up and left the tent. She went to the small lake and felt something nudge her back. She looked and saw her horse Shadow there, "you miss the Cartwright's as much as I do don't you girl?" She nodded and glanced the way to the Ponderosa.
Maria grabbed her reins and slowly headed in the direction since everyone is asleep right now. She knew they were since Josh fell asleep before she left and she heard the loud snoring from everyone else in the area. After she got quiet a ways from the camp area she swung onto to Shadow and rode to the Ponderosa. When she got there she got off Shadow who went into the barn on her own. She ran up to the door and tried to open it but it was tightly shut from the inside. She started pounding on the door, scared that Josh would wake up and see her and Shadow both gone.
Inside Ben, Joe, Adam and Hoss all quickly went downstairs hearing the loud pounding on the door. Ben unlocked the door and opened it seeing Maria standing there. He grabbed her and pulled her inside and Adam grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. Maria was crying like crazy because of a few things, she was tired and sore, happy to be back where she knows she belongs and lastly she was scared to death that Josh and them would come for her.
"Shhh, easy Maria," Adam said softly.
"I, I'm scared they'd come find me," Maria cried into his shirt.
"They won't be able to, Roy and them will protect us," Adam told her as he picked her up and took her to the couch and sat her down.
"Adam, they forced me to marry Josh, I know it wasn't a real wedding but to them it was," Maria said as she slowly calmed down. Ben went and made some coffee and after it was done he brought it out and all the cups needed.
"Well since we all know it wasn't a true wedding, how about tomorrow we all go into town and you two get married like you both want?" Hoss spoke up. Ben nodded in agreement knowing that maybe if Adam and Maria were married it might keep Josh from taking Maria more.
"Sounds good to me," Adam said and slowly got down onto one knee with the ring in his pocket. He pulled it out and Maria smiled, "Maria Ann Hoad, I love you with all my heart, will you do me the honors of becoming my wife?"
"Of course Adam," Maria said with a smile and he slipped the ring onto her left ring finger and they kissed.
"How about I take you up to your room so you can get some sleep? You look like you are about to fall asleep there on the couch," Adam said.
"Put her in with you son, it'll be safer," Ben said as Adam picked Maria up. Adam nodded and took Maria up the stairs and into the room. He laid her down, covered her up and she was already asleep. He smiled and laid down behind her, placed his arm around her waist and slowly drifted to sleep.