A/N: It certainly has been a while. I'm happy to say that life has settled back down, allowing me more time to work on this. I will admit, however, that I have been very distracted lately—I've discovered NCIS fanfiction and totally love it, and I've spent more than my share of time reading all of the great stuff over there. That being said, I've made a resolution to work on my writing some each day, which should mean more frequent updates. :)

Longer chapters win, thanks to those who left me an opinion. I'm glad, because that is what I am most comfortable with anyway.

To all who have left me a review or are following this story, you are the best. Thank you so much for your encouragement. It means a lot.

Anyway, on with the story. More questions to be answered as we make some new acquaintances. Please, as always, I would love to hear what you think! Thanks!

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'Adam? Adam Cartwright? Is that you?'

Adam stopped abruptly and just managed to stay on his feet when Hoss, following right behind, crashed into him. The voice was strangely familiar, and it pulled Adam from the troubled thoughts that had been plaguing him since his pre-sunrise trip to the barn. He raised his eyes to meet those of his brother, Hoss still standing beside him and, shrugging his shoulders at the noncommittal response he got from the teenager, he turned back around to the direction of the voice. The worries of the day momentarily forgotten, a smile crossed his face as recognition hit him.

'Well, it certainly has been a long time,' the voice laughed good-naturedly, one hand clamping firmly on Adam's shoulder as another reached to grasp his hand in a firm handshake. 'Adam Cartwright, it sure is good to see you. What have you been up to for the last five years?'

'The same could be asked of you,' Adam smiled ruefully, pumping the hand in his grip. 'Josh, Josh Andrews, how are you?'

The lanky young man grinned wickedly at Adam, his brown eyes twinkling as he just shook his head in response. Adam couldn't help the feeling of surprise, and the slight shock, at seeing his childhood friend standing in front of him. Josh Andrews was two years older than Adam and the two, with similar interests and mannerisms in everything from the books they read to the horses they rode, had been practically inseparable since they'd met all those years ago when the Cartwrights had first arrived to the area.

It had been a hard thing for the sixteen year old to accept when his best friend had abruptly left his home, heading west for some so-called adventure in the California gold mines. Without so much as a goodbye, the only thing left for Adam in the wake of his friend's leaving had been feelings of hurt and anger. Ironically, life gave him a reason not to dwell too long on the loss. Adam shivered involuntarily at the memory of what had happened: it had only been a few days later when tragedy had befallen his family, Marie Cartwright having had her fatal accident. Dealing with the aftermath of his stepmother's death, all thoughts of his friend's sudden departure had been thrown from his mind, and he could honestly say he hadn't even thought on his lost friendship again in the years since.

'Well, I'm just visiting,' Josh chuckled, his eyes narrowing slightly as he noticed the sudden darkness in his friend's eyes. 'I came to see how my parents are doing. What about you?' He quirked a raised eyebrow in Adam's direction, his voice still light with his good-natured teasing. 'Last I remember, you were going to go off to college someday. Well, did you ever get there?'

'Yeah, I did,' Adam smiled again, as Hoss, who had been standing by silently watching the entire exchange, suddenly cleared his throat. Adam turned his attention back to his brother, the worry in the pale eyes bringing his own temporarily forgotten anxiety back to the forefront.

'I'm gonna head back to the general store,' Hoss whispered, nodding his head in the direction of the store. He turned quickly, without waiting for a reply, and Adam felt slightly guilty as he watched his younger brother hurry off.

'Something wrong?' Josh asked lazily, his eyes widening slightly with curiosity as Adam turned back around to face his old friend.

Adam just shook his head, trying to force a smile to his face. He tried to push aside the worry that was building back, but he found it impossible to do as he understood Hoss's anxious need to get back to the general store. The two brothers had waited impatiently, having been finished with their business at the feed store for over an hour, and their father and brother had never arrived to meet them. An anxious sigh escaping his lips, Adam turned and glanced back over his shoulder in the direction Hoss had gone, not answering the question his friend had queried.

'Something I said then?' Josh didn't drop the issue, instead giving Adam a funny look as he continued teasing at him.

He couldn't help but relax slightly at his friend's gentle teasing, and Adam smiled again in Josh's direction. Something in the way his friend was watching him made him feel as if some kind of explanation was in order. 'No, it's just…my younger brother has been having trouble sleeping lately. We're just worried about him, that's all.'

Josh just nodded his head, the immediate understanding of the problem showing on his features. It had never been a secret to him how his friend had always been overly protective of his little brother. 'Oh,' he said, 'I'm guessing you mean Joe. What's he, like ten now? He was just a tiny runt when I saw him last. He's okay, right?'

'Yeah, yeah,' Adam hurried to respond, again feeling the familiar guilt as he thought about what had happened with his brother earlier in the day. 'He's grown up quite a bit since the last time you saw him…' His words drifted off at the thoughts of his little brother, and a soft smile crossed his face.

'That's good,' Josh murmured, mumbling his agreement. Adam was surprised at the sudden change of subject as Josh continued. 'So you were telling me about college. You actually got there, huh? If you don't mind me asking, how come you are back here? I mean, didn't you want to study architecture or something?' Josh's sly smile was almost arrogant, daring Adam to disagree. 'There aren't exactly a lot of jobs out here.'

'You'd be surprised,' Adam felt himself stiffen, the words suddenly making him angry. While he was generally level-headed and calm, it had always bothered him when his decisions were questioned. He looked at his friend sternly as he forced his next words out. 'Sometimes there are things that are more important than jobs, than money, you know?'

'Hey Adam…sorry, I didn't mean anything by that,' Josh replied hastily, flashing an innocent smile at his friend in hopes of relaxing the suddenly tense situation. 'I'm sure you have your reasons.'

'I did.' Adam tried to shake off his anger and turned his eyes back to his friend, giving him a hard smile. He was just about to say something else when running steps suddenly echoed behind him, the anxious voice calling him urgently.

'Adam, Adam!' Hoss called breathlessly, pulling up next to his brother and stopping for a moment to catch his breath. Adam stared at his gasping brother, his eyes wide with concern when he heard Hoss's next anxious words.

'It's Joe,' Hoss gasped, pulling at Adam's arm to get him to move. His pale eyes were wide with a fear that made Adam shudder. 'Pa said to come quick!'

'What…what…' the stuttered words died in Adam's throat, and he felt frozen as Hoss was pulling at his arm. It was Josh who suddenly broke the spell that held him, giving Adam a sharp push forward.

'You better go, Cartwright,' he admonished, his concerned eyes taking in the pale faces of his friend and his friend's younger brother. 'It sounds like your brother needs you. Go, I'm going to be in town for a while. I'll see you soon, alright?'

Adam dazedly nodded at his friend, his stomach churning with the fear that was starting to flood through his body. He shook Hoss's hand off of his arm and turned to run down the street, Hoss following quickly behind him. Images of his little brother began to flood his mind.

What possibly could have happened?

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Ben had only been able to stand in shocked amazement as he watched his youngest son stumble back against the wagon, the boy's face contorted as if he was in pain. Unable to move he could only stare mutely as his little boy fell to his knees in the dirt. It was the stranger moving forward to grab the young boy up from the ground that brought him back to his senses, and as his body suddenly was able to move again, Ben pushed the stranger away and swept the small boy into his arms.

'Joseph!' He could hear the tremble in his own voice, his son's name coming from his throat as a plea, begging the small child to be alright. 'Joseph, open your eyes! Joseph, look at me!'

He felt himself breathe again as the emerald eyes struggled open, the ashen face tinged with a slight return of color. Joe moaned softly as full consciousness returned, and suddenly as he remembered what had happened, his eyes jerked open, his body trembling violently against his father's broad chest.

'Joseph,' Ben begged, worry and relief both struggling in his voice as he crushed the small boy in his embrace. 'Son, look at me.' His eyes scanned the scared face of his little boy, alarmed at the violent trembling of the child. His hand cupped his son's chin and held it as he tried to get his son to focus his eyes in his direction. 'What is it? Can you tell me, son? What happened?'

The little boy didn't speak, only continued to gasp as he tried to regulate his breathing. His eyes darted around frantically, and his body froze when the green orbs suddenly locked and focused on the stranger still standing nearby. Ben noticed the tenseness in his son's body, and he turned his head to look back at the stranger as Joe buried his face in his father's chest.

Ben eyed the stranger warily, taking note of the stranger's graying hair and concerned eyes. He felt uneasy as the man continued to stare at his young son, and his embrace around the boy tightened instinctively.

'Is he alright?'

The gruff voice compelling Ben into movement, he balanced Joe's weight in his arms as he pushed to his feet, cradling his young son to his chest. Not paying attention to the stranger's question or the small crowd that was now forming around them, he started to walk rapidly towards the doctor's office across the street.

'P…pa?' The small boy in Ben's arms finally spoke, his stutter echoing in Ben's ears as he pushed himself to walk faster. Looking down at his little boy, Ben felt a small sense of relief as he noticed the bright green eyes focusing a little. Ben smiled at the confused look in the boy's eyes as he pushed the door to the doctor's office open with his shoulder.

'Paul!' Ben's gruff voice called to his old friend urgently, and the good doctor came quickly from his back office, his eyes assessing the situation in front of him. The small boy had gone limp in his father's arms, the green eyes closed again. Seeing the need for urgency, the doctor moved to the center of the room, gesturing for Ben to lay the young boy on the examining table.

'Ben, what happened here?'

Paul Martin was one of Ben's oldest friends, and he could see the deep concern on the anxious father's face as he laid his young son gently down on the examining table. Hoping to calm both the distraught father and the obviously distressed child who was now his patient, Paul put a reassuring hand on Ben's shoulder as he pushed him to a seat in the chair sitting next to the door.

'I…I don't know,' Ben muttered, rubbing his hand across his eyes as he continued to stare at his young son. 'He…he just collapsed in the middle of the street. It was like he was terrified of something, but I'm not sure...'

Paul nodded his head and turned his attention to the small boy. Paul was no stranger to the young man in question, Joseph Cartwright being a rather frequent recipient of his doctoring skills through the course of his short life. He noted how the small boy was still trembling, the tears trickling from his still-closed eyes making paths down his cheeks. He frowned at the paleness of the boy's skin, and the sheen of sweat that seemed to cling to Joe's clammy forehead. He lightly brushed his hand across the boy's face, the movement causing Joe to whimper slightly at the touch.

'Shh, Joseph, it is alright,' the doctor hurried to reassure the young boy, and Joe relaxed slightly as he responded to the familiar voice. The bright green eyes opened again, and the doctor felt a small wave of relief as he noted the clarity he could see in the expressive eyes. He gave the small boy a tentative smile. 'Can you tell me how you are feeling?'

Joe tensed again as he fully realized where he was, and his eyes darted around until they focused on his father. Ben had stood up again and crossed the room to stand next to the table, and he reached out his hand to softly brush through his son's hair. Ben's eyes locked on his son's face, and he nodded encouragingly to his son to answer the doctor. Joe took a deep breath.

'My…my head hurts a little,' the young boy whimpered, and Paul moved quickly to his cabinet and retrieved an amber bottle. Spooning a tiny bit of the white powder into a glass, he poured in some water and, mixing thoroughly, he handed it to his patient. Joe took the glass reluctantly, and Ben couldn't help the small smile at the grimace on his son's face as his little boy swallowed the bitter concoction.

'Any other symptoms that you need to tell me about?' The doctor asked somewhat sternly, bending to peer into his young patient's eyes. He hadn't forgotten that Joe was not always his most forthcoming patient. Paul's frown grew deeper as he took in the dark circles and tense lines on the boy's face.

'He looks exhausted,' Paul frowned in Ben's direction when his patient didn't answer, and the small sigh that came from the young boy only deepened the doctor's concerned expression. Turning back to face Joe, Paul gave him a fatherly stare and the boy's eyes dropped down to the floor.

'I think he's having nightmares again,' Ben supplied, and Paul sighed as he noticed the faint blush creeping up the young boy's neck.

'Is that true, Joe?' The doctor's stern voice left no room for discussion, and Joe only nodded slightly in defeat. 'You haven't been sleeping, have you?'

'N…no, sir,' the small boy stuttered glumly, not looking up from staring at the hands that he had clasped in his lap. Paul took pity on the small boy and his next words did not show the slight frustration he was feeling at the boy's reluctance to share.

'How long has it been, Joe?'

The words were kind, and Joe lifted hesitant eyes up to meet the doctor. He tensed again as he saw the concern visibly evident on his father's face, and his eyes dropped back down to the floor. Seeing his son's reluctance to speak, Ben put a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder.

'Joseph, it's alright,' Ben murmured, his concern for what was troubling his son greater than the frustration he felt at the boy keeping the secret from him. 'Please, tell us. When did the nightmares start?'

Joe gulped and looked into his father's warm, caring eyes. The fear that had been building in the past month suddenly overtaking him, his eyes filled with tears as he gasped the words out.

'About…about a month.'

The admission cut into Ben's heart like a knife. His own eyes filled with tears as he moved to comfort his now sobbing son. Guilt began to eat away at him as he realized his son had been suffering alone for the whole time, and his arms tightened around the crying child.

'Oh, Joseph,' his voice was strained as his thoughts ran wild. 'Why didn't you say something?'

Joe looked up at him with haunted eyes, and the sight caused Ben to shiver. The little boy looked lost, and he moved to bury his face in his father's shirt, unable to answer except to slightly shake his head. Ben lifted pained eyes to meet the doctor's, Paul frowning as he moved back to the medicine cabinet.

'I want you to drink this, Joe,' the doctor said firmly, handing the boy another glass. At Ben's questioning glance, Paul hurried to continue. 'It is something to help him sleep. This young man is visibly exhausted, he needs to get some rest.' Paul looked sternly at the hesitant patient in front of him. 'Drink it, Joe.' The young boy reluctantly swallowed another glass of bitter liquid.

The doctor continued his explanation, his attention completely focused now on Ben. 'I want you to take Joe home immediately and get him to bed. It is obvious to me that he hasn't slept, at least decently, in days. His body is fighting just to function, and I wouldn't be surprised if that is what caused him to collapse in the street.'

Paul's words softened slightly as he took in the guilty look on his friend's face, and he hurried to reassure him. 'He'll be alright, as long as he gets proper rest. I'll give you some powders to give him to take for the next few nights, they should help him sleep.' He smiled slightly as he watched his young patient yawn, already Joe's eyes heavy as the medication rapidly began to work.

Ben stood protectively behind Joe, tightening his arms around his young son. His voice was thick with emotion as he spoke the words his friend had clearly seen mulling through his mind. 'I should have seen this sooner…'

'Ben,' Paul admonished, slightly frustrated at the guilt he could still see lingering in his friend's eyes. 'He will be alright, with proper rest.' His face quirked into a small smile as he continued, shaking his head lightly at Ben. 'Knowing Joe, I'm sure he worked hard to hide what was going on, and it seems to have worked pretty well.' The smile faded back to seriousness. 'Do you have any possible idea as to what the nightmares are about? '

The doctor was no stranger to the nightmares that had periodically plagued the young Cartwright, having treated the aftermath of the dreams not only when the child's mother had died, but also when his older brother had gone away to college. He frowned as the small boy shuddered again, his fear still evident even as sleep pulled him away. Ben only shook his head as he cradled his son's head against his shoulder.

'No,' Ben sighed brokenly, wishing he could somehow take away the pain his son was feeling. 'Adam told me that about a month ago, Joe came to him with a nightmare, but that's all I know. Paul, what do you think could be causing this?' His eyes searched his friend's face for an answer. 'All the other times, there was something that triggered them. Nothing has happened. Everything seemed fine.'

'The unconscious mind is very impressionable,' Paul explained. 'He's had several traumatic events in the past that have caused him to have these nightmares. It is possible that the current nightmares are a result of one of his previous episodes, something he isn't even aware is happening.'

'Is there anything we can do?' Ben's face showed his obvious anguish at the thought of his son's continued pain.

'Try to get him to talk about it, see if you can get him to remember something,' Paul suggested softly, watching his friend's eyes as they darted across his sleeping son's face. 'Keep an eye on him, make sure that he takes the powders and gets plenty of rest. Chances are, the nightmares will diminish once he is properly rested.' He continued as he saw the uncertainty on his friend's face. 'I will come out to check on him later in the week. If anything happens before then, just send for me. And Ben…'

'Yes, Paul?'

The doctor smiled at his friend. 'He'll be okay. But for now, you really should get him home.'

Ben nodded and reached down to lift his sleeping son into his arms. He paused at the sound of hurried footsteps on the porch, and he turned around quickly as the door opened.

'Pa!' Hoss's pale eyes were wide in alarm as he took in the sight of his unconscious brother lying on the examining table. 'What happened? Is Shortshanks okay?!'

'Your brother is exhausted,' Ben sighed, hoping he could reassure himself as he said the words aloud. 'He fell when we were outside the store. I just had Dr. Martin checking to make sure he is alright.' Ben paused for a minute, but jumped in again quickly as he saw the alarm spreading on his son's face. 'He's okay, he's just sleeping from the medicine he was given,' he quickly reassured, and Hoss released a deep breath in relief. 'But we need to get him home. Is Adam with you?'

'N…no Pa,' Hoss stammered, reaching out his hand to touch his little brother's shoulder, not entirely convinced that he was really alright. 'I'll go get him.'

Ben simply nodded, his eyes pleading with his son to hurry. It was a message that the gentle teenager understood, and he nodded back as he turned to go out the door. In his hurry, he bumped into the stranger that Ben hadn't noticed until just that moment.

'Thanks again, Mr. Ashcroft,' the teenager murmured, pulling the door shut behind him as he hurried back down the street. The stranger nodded his head after the retreating figure, and then turned his eyes back to look at Ben.

'Mr. Cartwright, I presume?' The man extended his hand out in Ben's direction, waiting for the other man to respond.

Ben stared at the man, something akin to suspicion growing in his stomach as he tried to read the expressions on the man's face. Unable to shake the uneasiness that he felt, he nodded slowly as he grasped the other man's hand in a firm handshake.

'I'm Daniel Ashcroft,' the man continued when Ben didn't ask. 'I'm really sorry about what happened at the general store. Is your son alright?'

'Mr. Ashcroft,' Ben turned from the man as he looked at his sleeping son. Turning back to face the man, he continued, his voice tight. 'Yes, thank you. He'll be alright.'

'That's good to hear,' the man sounded obviously relieved. 'He gave me quite a scare there, for a moment. It was almost like he saw a ghost or something.' He watched Ben carefully as he continued. 'I ran into your other son at the store after you left, he was looking for you. Since I knew where you had gone, after I told him where you were, I decided to tag along. I hope you don't mind, I was just worried about the boy.'

'Yes, well, I appreciate your concern.' Ben's voice still held a slight edge as he continued to study the man in front of him.

Ashcroft took a step towards the sleeping child, brushing his hand lightly across the boy's head. Ben moved forward quickly to push the man away, but the look in the man's eyes made him freeze.

'A fine looking boy,' the man murmured, his eyes studying the sleeping face intently. 'What's he, about ten years old?' Ashcroft turned to face Ben suddenly, his eyes narrowing.

Ben's stomach twisted as he moved forward protectively, pushing the man away as he bent to scoop his son into his arms. Paul, who had been speechless since the stranger had moved towards Joe, jumped forward suddenly and pushed a small packet into Ben's vest pocket as Ben moved towards the door. Ben's only response to the man's question was the icy glare he sent in his direction, a look that sent its message very plainly.

'Thanks, Paul,' Ben nodded to his friend as he stepped through the door cradling his son in his arms. 'I'll see you in a couple days.'

Ashcroft didn't say anything, but his eyes stared after the retreating figure, a slight smile playing across his face.

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Hoss sat in the chair next to his little brother's bed, staring at Joe as he twitched restlessly in his sleep. Even with the sleeping powder he'd taken, the little boy's mind was still going in overdrive, preventing him from the deep sleep he obviously needed. Hoss's eyes widened as he continued to watch the little boy, his big hand clamped down tightly on his brother's restless one.

'Ah, Shortshanks,' he whispered softly, his gentle eyes filling with tears as he brushed his large fingers along his brother's hand. 'What's wrong, little brother? What's goin' on in that head a' yours?'

It wasn't as if he expected an answer, but he sighed anyway at the silence that followed his question. It had been a hard day for the pale-eyed teenager. Ever since he'd heard that his little brother was having nightmares again, he'd been tense with an uneasy feeling he just couldn't describe. He hated seeing his brother so sad and upset. The ride into town had been long and silent, the normally lively little boy sullen and withdrawn. He and Adam both had, somewhat reluctantly, followed their father's instructions to go in a separate direction once in town, each admitting to the unease they felt at the whole situation.

It had been the waiting that had spurred Hoss into action, waiting for a brother and father that never arrived. Hoss's heart had sunk in his stomach when he'd arrived back to the general store, his family nowhere to be seen, a stranger delivering the rather frightening news that his little brother had collapsed in the street. Near panicking, he had raced to the doctor's office, only minimally relieved when he had been told that his brother would be alright, at least eventually.

The ride home had been even worse than the ride to town, silent and tense as they had hurried to get the little boy home. That had led the protective older brother to where he now found himself, keeping watch over the exhausted child. His father had come in and urged him to go to bed, assuring him that Joe was going to sleep through the night, but somehow Hoss wasn't convinced. He yawned as he fidgeted in the hard chair, suddenly feeling drained as the long day began to drag into an even longer night. His body wanted to go to sleep, but there was just something that kept him sitting in the chair. He needed to be there, he had to protect his little brother.

A slight rustle behind him drew his attention, and he turned to see his older brother standing at the bedroom door. Adam's eyes darkened slightly in concern as he stared at the twitching figure lying on the bed, and he beckoned at Hoss with a toss of his head. Standing from the chair, Hoss moved over to the doorway.

'How's he been?' Adam whispered, already knowing the answer to his question as he saw the unmistakable lines of exhaustion still plainly visible on his little brother's face.

'Oh, Adam,' Hoss sighed, rubbing his hands warily over his sleepy eyes. 'He just seems all jumpy-like. Even the doc's medicine ain't helpin' him. I just wish there was somethin' else we could do.'

'I know,' Adam agreed, putting a sympathetic hand on Hoss's shoulder. He hoped his words would reassure his sensitive younger brother as he spoke, and his eyes shone with determination. 'We'll take care of him. He'll be alright.'

'No…no, stop…p-please,' the desperate begging from the bed sent the two older brothers' eyes to turn back around in shocked surprise. They watched in horrified fascination, unable to move, as Joe sat up in the bed, his eyes open but unseeing, tears running down his face. His next words tore at their hearts, and the sudden thought that things might never be alright again scared them senseless.

'Why?' the distraught child begged. 'Why did you leave me all alone? Why?!'