A/N: This chapter took somewhat of an interesting turn. I usually start with an outline, just filling in the pieces, but that didn't seem to work this time. It seems I had more to write than I thought, and this is the end result. Still, I think it works.

Not a lot of action in this chapter, but the angst is starting to build and older Cartwrights are going into protective overdrive! I had to end the chapter here or else it would have gone on forever!

Special thanks to Caroll's Pen, Rachel L. Driscoll, jerseybelle, Guest, MJ, melly96, and amandajune for taking the time to leave me a comment and/or review. You guys rock and I appreciate your kind words!

I would love to hear what you think—happy thoughts motivate me to update faster! :) As always, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

Plot Note: Adam's memory at the end of the story comes from the actual Bonanza episode 'Between Heaven and Earth.' You'll know it when you see it. It had to happen sometime—I finally used an actual canon memory in one of my stories. :)

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'Why? Why did you leave me all alone? Why?!'

It felt as if a knife had been plunged into Adam's heart, the agony he felt at the sound of his brother's bitter cry, the words piercing the quiet of the late night. He couldn't move, his own eyes filling with tears, as he stared at the hysterical form on the bed. It wasn't until he saw the sudden movement at his side that his body suddenly released from its frozen shock, and he lunged forward almost instinctively to stop what he knew was about to happen.

'Hoss, no,' he whispered desperately, using his full strength to keep his bigger younger brother from descending on the little boy to crush him in a powerful embrace. Adam didn't see the shocked and pained expression crossing Hoss's face as he kept his eyes locked on the little boy on the bed. Hoss stopped resisting his older brother's grasp and pulled back, letting Adam take the lead, watching as his older brother pushed forward slowly to kneel next to Joe's bed.

'Why, why?!' the desperate child pleaded hysterically to no one in particular, his vacant eyes blank and unseeing. Adam winced at the words, noting the pitch in the little boy's voice getting higher, his breathing growing labored with the exertion.

It took all of his own self-control to not grab his little brother into a crushing protective hug, but Adam refrained from the act and instead silently reached his hand out to touch the little boy on his shoulder. The child flinched like a wounded animal, pulling away from the touch as he began rocking, the anguished cries melting into desperate mumblings. Adam swallowed the lump in his throat and reached out his hand again, but this time when he touched his little brother the boy didn't pull away. Joe actually responded to the soft touch as his whimperings started to grow louder.

'Shh, shh, little buddy…' Adam worked desperately in an attempt to keep his voice calm and soft as he began to gently rub his little brother's back, hoping that the fear he felt in his stomach wouldn't be conveyed to the little boy he was trying to soothe. It was only a slight feeling of relief that he felt when Joe began to respond to the quietness in his older brother's voice, the little boy's mumblings gradually falling to silence. 'Shh, it's okay.'

Joe's trembling had also calmed, and the little boy had started to go limp, his exhausted body beginning to slump backwards. Adam scrambled to his feet and quickly onto the bed to sit behind his brother, letting the slackening form of the little boy fall gently into his arms. Pulling him forward to rest against his chest, Adam wrapped his arms securely around Joe as the little boy relaxed completely against him.

'Adam?!'

Ben appeared in the doorway behind Hoss, and Adam's heart dropped as he took in the panicked look on his father's face. Ben pushed forward and dropped to his knees next to the bed, his hand brushing softly through his youngest's sweat-dampened hair.

'Adam, what happened?' Ben had dropped his voice to a whisper, but Adam could hear the slight hitch in his father's voice as Ben's eyes looked to his oldest, pleading for some type of explanation.

'Yeah, what's goin' on?' Hoss asked softly, giving Adam a puzzled look. 'Why'd ya stop me from helpin' Joe?' His voice sounded hurt and Adam felt a pang of sympathy for his younger brother.

'I think he was in the middle of a nightmare,' Adam whispered, keeping his voice down as the figure in his arms stirred slightly. Joe adjusted in his brother's arms and sighed softly as Adam continued his explanation. 'He wasn't awake, Hoss. He was screaming in his sleep…' His voice caught and he took a breath before he could continue. He shot an uncertain glance at his father. 'I wasn't sure if it was a good idea…'

'You did the right thing, son,' Ben said quickly, giving Adam a slight reassuring smile. He looked at the still-puzzled Hoss and nodded. 'It might have made it worse if he was awakened suddenly.'

Hoss was horrified at his sudden realization of what could have happened. The implications of his almost-action suddenly overwhelming him, he turned around and leaned against the doorframe, tears escaping down his face as he tried to muffle his sobs. Ben saw the reaction and moved to comfort him while Adam just stared at them miserably, his arms tightening unconsciously around the sleeping little boy still cuddled against his chest.

'I c-coulda hurt h-him…' Hoss choked out as his father began rubbing his back softly in an attempt to calm him. 'I-I'm sorry…'

'It's not your fault,' Ben's gentle voice soothed the distraught teenager. 'None of us knows what we are dealing with here. I know you'd never hurt your brother.'

'It's not just that, Pa,' Hoss turned sad eyes to look back at the exhausted younger brother still sleeping in Adam's arms. His voice was soft and forlorn. 'I just can't stand seein' him like this, Pa.' His eyes filled with tears again as he choked back another sob.

'I know, son, I know…' Ben's voice caught in his throat as he felt his own tears welling in his eyes. He was about to continue when he was interrupted by Adam's concerned voice.

'I think he's waking up,' Adam whispered urgently, causing both Ben and Hoss to turn back around to look at the two brothers still on the bed.

They all watched silently, holding a collective breath, as Joe began to twist in his older brother's arms, his eyes flickering rapidly beneath his still-closed lids. He began to mumble incoherently as he pushed away from the arms still holding him, his breathing starting to hitch as he began to fight against the embrace. Adam relaxed his grip and Joe seemed to lose some of his fight as his emerald eyes struggled to open. He blinked as he gazed around in confusion, his bright eyes not focusing on anyone in particular. An involuntary shudder passed through his body as he sat there mutely.

'Hey buddy,' Adam whispered in the little boy's ear, Joe jerking around quickly to stare into his brother's face. The little boy's eyes widened suddenly with recognition, and he gave a little cry as he threw his arms around his older brother's neck, the relief evident on his face as he hugged his older brother.

'Joseph?' Ben moved cautiously towards the bed with his arms open, and Joe responded to his father's invitation by vaulting himself into his father's embrace. Ben pulled the little boy closely and buried his face in Joe's tousled hair, breathing deeply as he tried to gain some control. 'Can you tell me about it, son? What did you see?'

Joe trembled in his father's arms, and he struggled to control his breathing. It took him several minutes to gather himself together. When he spoke, his voice was no more than a whisper and his family had to strain just to hear the sad words.

'You…you all l-left me,' his whispered voice choked out between the tears that had begun falling. 'Why?' His haunted eyes implored the shocked faces around him. 'Why…why did you leave m-me all alone? D-did I do s-something wrong?'

'No, no,' Ben rushed quickly, trying to recover from the shock of his son's words. He hugged his son even closer as he tried to reassure him. 'Joseph, you haven't done anything wrong. I'm here, we're all here. We won't leave you.' His voice became quiet with a desperate pleading as he stared intently into his son's wide green eyes. 'We'll never leave you, do you understand?'

Adam's heart was racing as he watched his little brother nod slightly, his brilliant green eyes beginning to close as he leaned into his father's embrace. Stealing a look at Hoss standing next to him, he could feel the tenseness radiating from the teenager's body as their eyes met in shared understanding. Glancing back at their father, Adam noticed the same look in his father's worried face. Joe had fallen back asleep, but it was the expression on the little boy's face that gave them all cause to shudder.

It was obvious from the pained and tortured look on his sleeping face that the little boy hadn't believed a word his father had said. And it broke all of their hearts.

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While Joe had lain in his father's arms, his rest interrupted as he tossed fitfully, it had been a sleepless night for the rest of the family. Unable to fully understand what had happened, and unwilling to break the promise that they had made, they had only been able to sit and watch, silent sentries protecting their beloved child. Joe's broken words had devastated them all, and regardless if whether the little boy believed their contradictions were true or not, they had all vowed to make it right.

The realization that there was something more to the whole situation had come to Adam sometime in the middle of that sleepless night. While Joe had continued his fitful sleep, Adam had spent some of the time studying the father who had kept himself huddled next to his youngest son's bedside. Ben's eyes had never left his sleeping child's face, so intent was he in protecting the young child from the demons plaguing him. Watching him intently, Adam could feel his heart twisting with concern at the sight of the quiet fear he could see reflected in his father's eyes. There was more to this nightmare they all were a part of, more than his father had already shared, and it sent a wave of fear and dread through Adam.

He had refrained from asking then and there, knowing somehow that his father needed some time to get himself together. It was just another way that he knew his father. He knew his father would tell him in due time, and he knew he needed to know the whole story, but he waited until after the remnants of their uneaten breakfast had been cleared away to approach the subject.

'Pa?' Adam's worried eyes took in his father's face. He watched as his father's eyes focused and the frown on his face softened slightly. Adam clenched his fists tightly as he prepared himself for the question he was about to ask. 'Pa, what's the matter?' His voice trembled and he took a moment to steady it before he continued. 'It's not just the nightmares, is it? Is there something else wrong with Joe?'

Ben snapped his head up to look into his son's worried eyes, finally his attention focusing completely on the young man in front of him. A ghost of a smile appeared on his face as made the realization, the recognition of how his oldest son could read him so thoroughly. He'd never been able to keep anything from Adam, the boy having always had some kind of secret intuition into his father's thoughts. He shook his head slightly as he acknowledged the truth that he knew he was no longer going to be able to hide.

'There was someone in town yesterday,' he muttered, turning his eyes from his son's face so he could stare out the window. The strange interaction he'd had with the rather secretive and prying Daniel Ashcroft had left him feeling suspicious and angry. It hadn't just been the man's questions that had disturbed him; the way the stranger had stared at his youngest son still had his skin crawling. Something about the man had been off, almost threatening, and it sent a sickening wave of fear through the protective father. On top of all that was already going on, he just wasn't sure how much more any of them could handle. His heart was full of regret at the knowledge that he had to share this new development with his oldest. Ben took a deep breath to steady himself as he turned back around and continued. 'His name is Daniel Ashcroft. There's just something about him…'

'What, Pa?' Adam could see the fear in his father's deep brown eyes, and it sent a small wave of panic through him. 'What did he do?' His voice hardened and his dark eyes flashed with sudden anger as a new thought came to him. 'Did he hurt Joe?'

'No,' Ben said quickly, seeing the anger and fear on his son's face and wanting to reassure the young man before him. 'No…no. He didn't do anything, but it was just the way…he was there when your brother collapsed. Joe almost acted…' Ben swallowed hard before he could continue the thought, his voice still shaky with his next words. 'Your brother acted like he had almost seen him before, like he was afraid of him. And then the way he kept looking at your brother after that…and the questions he asked…' Ben stopped suddenly as he took in the wide-eyed horror evident now on his son's face. He forced a small smile to his face as he continued apologetically. 'I'm sorry son…I didn't mean to startle you so much. Just the ramblings of a worried father…it's, it's probably nothing.'

Adam stood staring incredulously at his father, not convinced at the sudden turn-about in his father's words. He had seen the fear on his father's face, a very raw and real emotion, and then his rather poor attempt to downplay the whole situation. He knew from experience that his father's instincts were generally pretty accurate, especially when it concerned his sons. If something about the man had seemed odd to his father, Adam was convinced that there was more to it than just his father's over-active protective parental instinct, regardless of the man trying to say otherwise. The whole thing was disturbing. Adam's eyes narrowed in rage at the thought of a stranger being fixated on his brother. The whole idea made him feel helpless, a feeling that both scared and infuriated him.

Ben could see the conflicted emotions on his son's face, and he sighed at the worry he had added to the clearly visible burden of guilt his oldest son already carried. Guilt had already been an emotion that the whole family had been feeling, especially after what had happened the previous night, and he certainly didn't want to add anything else to his oldest's already strained emotions. Ben was proud of the way his oldest son had always been so protective of his little brother; it gave him some measure of relief and assurance that his boys would be alright, even when he had to be away from them. He found himself struggling with the conflict he now found himself in. He needed that assurance now, the assurance that his oldest would be his youngest's protector, even as he didn't want to add further to the young man's burden. Ben felt his own guilt gnawing at him with his next words, the words that fed on both his own fear and the need he knew his oldest had of being Joe's protector.

'It's probably nothing,' he stated again firmly, looking directly into his son's eyes. The confidence he had tried to instill melted just a little as he continued slowly. 'But maybe…just maybe there is something to it…I'm just not sure right now.' Ben watched Adam's eyes narrow again and he took a deep breath to steady his emotions. This was the part that he felt bad about, but he forced himself to continue. 'But until we know for sure, we need to keep an eye on Joe at all times. I don't want him alone for even a minute. With all the nightmares he's been having, I don't want this, or anything else, to upset him.'

Adam couldn't help the small, rueful smile that came to his face as he thought about his father's words. He knew his little brother all too well. 'You know Joe's not going to like that.' He lost the smile as he thought back, and his voice grew sad. 'Regardless of what he said last night, asking us why we left him, you know he's still going to hate this. He hates it when we baby him, and that's what he is going to think if we are watching him every minute.'

'I know, I know, he's going to be upset about this,' Ben nodded, cringing slightly at the truth he knew to be found in his oldest son's words. 'I haven't decided yet, but I don't even think I'm going to send him back to school when it starts next week.'

Adam smiled again, a brief flash of mischief suddenly glowing in his eyes. 'Well…he might not be too upset about that part. Maybe you should tell him that first…you know, get on his good side?'

It was meant as a joke, and Ben knew and appreciated the gesture. It was just like his son to say something like this to try to help, to lighten the mood, but he just couldn't stop the worry he felt. He couldn't smile and just sighed as he turned away, nodding his head in response.

'Don't worry, Pa,' Adam's voice firmly stated, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Ben turned back around to face his oldest son, a smile growing on his face as he recognized the determination he could hear in his son's words. He couldn't hold back the pride he felt as his son continued.

'We'll take care of Joe. Nobody is going to bother him. We'll get him through this.' Adam's voice trembled slightly, but his words never lost the conviction he felt. 'We have to.'

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Adam sat on the shady bank of the old fishing hole, dark eyes studying the sleeping form that was twitching restlessly next to him. He frowned at the pinched look of apprehension that refused to relax from the little boy's face even as he lay asleep in the warm grass. His frustration showed as the sigh escaped his lips; all the worry and fear of the past couple of days had taken its toll on the whole family, nothing seeming to help. Even the constant supervision that the youngest Cartwright had been subjected to had done nothing to provide his family with so much as a clue as to what was really going on.

Today had, emotionally, been the same as the days preceding it. What had started out as a promising day of enjoyment had turned into another day of empty silence and dark brooding. Both Adam and Joe had long since given up the cursory pretense of actually going fishing, only spending moments on the poles that now sat unnoticed on the edge of the bank. It saddened Adam to think that this was what everything pleasant had digressed into lately, any joy that had been previously found in any of their recreational activities sadly lost in the direness of the current situation.

Joe had been miserable since his father had announced the verdict of constant companionship that was now his shadow; the little boy had always resented the fact that the rest of his family felt the need to constantly baby him, the reluctance to let him grow up. He had started to protest, the familiar light of rebellion glowing faintly in his brilliant green eyes, but once he had seen the firm look in his father's eyes, the look that left no room for argument, he had reconciled himself immediately.

His reaction at the time had worried them even more, the way Joe had refused to really argue about it, the way he just nodded his head in a sad resignation. The old Joe would never have given in so quickly, but this somber new Joe had done just that. And so the little boy had spent the last two days with a constant shadow, never alone for more than a few minutes, despite the constant companionship withdrawing further and further away with each passing moment. Even at night he had no escape from the tormenting thoughts; the powders, while knocking him unconscious, not providing the promised restful night's sleep, and the resulting dark shadows under the little boy's eyes only served to be a sad reminder that something was terribly wrong. The combination of his own wayward imagination and the drug-induced haze had turned the once-energetic little boy into a lethargic shadow of his former self.

His thoughts returning to the nearer present, Adam smiled sadly as he thought back on the events of the day. He had really tried to engage his little brother, trying to get Joe's mind off of the disturbing thoughts, even for just the afternoon. Joe had always loved it when his older brother had taken him for a ride through the woods, just the two of them spending time together. That combined with an afternoon of fishing at their favorite fishing hole, and usually Adam would have been unable to escape the enormity of his little brother's ecstatic response. Today though, Joe had merely shrugged absently at the suggestion, and Adam had been left wondering if his little brother had actually wanted to go or if he was just trying to appease his older brother.

The ride had been silent, any conversation Adam trying to start quickly drying up as Joe made no effort to respond, the young boy simply staring straight ahead with unblinking eyes. Unable to break through the silence, Adam had resigned himself to studying his brother, watching Joe's every movement in his continued attempt of figuring out what had been going on. He couldn't blame his little brother for his actions really; whatever grasp Joe's nightmares held on him, they had certainly frightened him and somehow convinced him that he had to deal with this all alone. It broke Adam's heart all over again, the memories of how he and his little brother had always shared everything, especially during the time after Marie's death. The closeness that they had always had was gone now, his little brother pulling further and further away from them all with each passing day.

Now Adam found himself sitting on the bank, reflecting on the day's events as he tried to decide if he should wake his finally sleeping brother. Granted, he thought to himself, it didn't look like it was the most restful sleep, but it was sleep, sleep that his brother desperately needed. He sighed as he looked at the angle of the sun's rays on the grassy bank, noting that it was close to sunset and knowing his father would worry if they weren't home before dark. His decision made for him, he put his hand softly on his little brother's shoulder in an attempt to gently wake him, his own brown eyes intently watching the young boy as the brilliant green eyes began to open.

'Hey, Joe,' he whispered softly, noting with concern the fear he could see welling up in the expressive eyes, Joe's confusion to his surroundings evident. Seeing that his brother was still in a sleepy daze, Adam cupped the little boy's chin with his hand and moved so that he could look his little brother directly in the eyes. 'Hey, buddy.' He smiled as recognition crossed Joe's face, the fear receding slightly, but not disappearing completely, from the bright green eyes. 'Sorry to wake you up, but we have to get home. It's almost dark, and Pa will be worried.'

He watched his brother for a reaction, and smiled slightly at the fleeting look of disdain that he could see crossing his little brother's face. Even with all that had happened, Joe still resented the over-protectiveness he felt was being forced upon him. Joe huffed slightly in annoyance as he pulled himself to his feet, his forehead creasing in a frown as he stared down at his older brother still sitting in the grass.

'Aren't ya comin'?' Joe's voice was strained. Adam frowned in brotherly concern at the huge yawn that suddenly escaped from his younger brother's throat, effectively cutting off any other words the little boy had planned to say. Joe turned sullenly and headed back to the stand of trees where they had left their horses.

Adam stood and followed his brother to the horses, watching as Joe swung easily up into the saddle and pulled his horse around in the direction of home. Resigning himself to the fact that the ride home was going to be as silent as the ride out, Adam sighed and followed suit, falling in behind his brother as they began their ride back home.

Halfway to home, the sun had practically disappeared behind the mountains, and Adam cursed himself for his lack of attention. They wouldn't be getting home before dark, and his father would be quite worried. Joe was riding at a rather relaxed pace, not in any obvious hurry to get home. Adam hated to push his brother, the situation between the two of them already tense, but he knew the necessity of such action. Even if he didn't take into account his father's worry, Adam knew that it wasn't the best for the two of them to be riding through the woods once it was dark.

'Shake a leg, Joe…we need to get home,' Adam scolded mildly, his rebuke rewarded with a dark scowl from his younger brother. Joe didn't answer, just kicked his legs into the horse's ribs as he quickened his pace. Adam sighed again, ruing the day that he had somehow lost the touch to communicate effectively with his little brother.

Adam turned his eyes to study the shadows of the darkening woods. Shades of green, getting deeper and darker by the moment, started to blend into the gloom and darkness that were threatening to swallow up the little light that was remaining. Adam had ridden out in the twilight before, the colorful mosaic of shadows and light always calming and enjoyable. He found it odd, therefore, when he felt a slight wave of coldness suddenly washing over him as he watched the darkness looming, seeming almost threatening in some way. The sensation unnerved him, making him uneasy, and he didn't know why.

His eyes turned forward to face Joe, still riding up ahead, seemingly oblivious to the thoughts of his older brother. The little boy was sitting ramrod straight in his saddle, his eyes not deviating from their focus on the darkening path in front of him. But something about his brother's posture didn't sit right with Adam. Spurring his horse forward to catch up to his little brother, he was shocked to see the tears that had welled up in the green eyes and had trickled down his little brother's cheeks. Joe's eyes looked hauntingly sad, the same look that Adam had seen that first night over a month ago when this had all started, the look that was still burned in Adam's memory. Joe didn't even appear to be aware of his surroundings, completely lost in his thoughts.

'Joe, what is it?' Adam tried to keep his voice calm, not wanting to startle the boy out of the trance-like state he was in. At his words, Joe's head snapped forward as he came back from his haunted thoughts. Joe curled his lip up in a frown as he continued to keep his eyes averted from his brother, his left hand scrubbing absently at the tear stains on his face.

'Nothin'.' The little boy's voice was sullen, hollow. 'Just wanna get home, that's all.'

Adam didn't answer and turned back to look at his surroundings, relieved slightly as the dense line of trees they were in broke and a familiar sight came into view. It had been a long time since they had ridden past Eagle's Nest, it not being on the usual route towards home. He wasn't even sure how they had come upon it now, until he suddenly realized that somehow they had deviated in their directions and the horses had instinctively made the correction to get them home. The familiar landmark certainly was impressive; it's height unmatched by any of the other peaks in the countryside, the sheer slope of the rock making it impossible to scale by horseback. It certainly was a majestic sight, and Adam felt grateful that they had somehow happened along this route towards home, the lack of trees in the space surrounding the mountain allowing the little light still remaining before nightfall to reach their eyes.

'It's safe up there…'

The words were barely whispered, practically incoherent, but Adam caught the sound, his own breath catching in his throat. Turning to face the source, Adam's shocked eyes widened in horror at the almost serene look sitting on the little boy's deathly pale face. Joe's eyes were wide and he was swallowing rapidly, trying to calm his suddenly ragged breathing.

'Joe, what did you say?'

The words strangled in Adam's throat as his brother suddenly flinched, the trance now broken, the uncomfortable look on Joe's face giving Adam the distinct impression that the little boy hadn't realized and now regretted the utterance. Joe turned his eyes away, intent on ignoring the question, but Adam, refusing to be ignored, pushed his brother again.

'Joe, what did you mean by what you just said? Tell me, now!'

Joe had pulled his horse to a stop and was sitting in his saddle silently, vacant eyes staring blankly at the mountain in front of him. Adam looked up and in the last fading bit of daylight he could just trace the peak of Eagle's Nest rising far above them. Joe continued to stare unblinkingly, pausing for several moments until his words came out softly, achingly haunted.

'It's safe up there.'

Echoing his previous words, the little boy jerked his head slightly in the direction of the peak of Eagle's Nest before he silently turned back around in his saddle. Adam stared after his little brother as Joe kicked his feet into the horse's flank, spurring the animal into motion as he continued on his way home.

Adam continued to stare after the retreating figure, unsure of what had just happened. Joe's words had appeared to be unexpected, almost as if the little boy himself hadn't even realized what he'd said. But what had bothered Adam more than the unexpected utterance was the vacant look in his brother's eyes. He had seen the fear, the utter desolation reflected in Joe's eyes, and it caused a shiver to run down his spine.

Suddenly, the shiver turned into a full blown wave of cold fear as a distant memory pushed forward from the back of his mind. He gasped involuntarily as the thought made him ill, the memory twisting in his gut like a knife.

He remembered it so vividly now, that time over five years ago now. He surmised the truth of the matter: the memory he'd tried to forget, pushing away the fear they'd all felt, that night. The night his little brother had disappeared.

They'd never found out what had happened, really. Joe had disappeared one afternoon, and they had spent the whole night searching for him. It had been their father who had found the little boy very early the next morning, the five year old having climbed to the very top of Eagle's Nest. Ben had carried the little boy down the mountain in his arms. Visibly shaken by his ordeal, they hadn't questioned the little boy very much in the first few days following, hoping that a little time would make him more willing to talk. That conversation had never happened due to tragic circumstance; only days after Joe having been found, Marie had been tragically killed in that riding accident. With all that subsequently followed, Joe's disappearance had all but been forgotten.

Adam's mind was whirling as he suddenly realized how far ahead his little brother had gotten, and he kicked his horse into a trot to catch up. Regret and guilt began to flood through him as he wondered if somehow they had missed something all those years ago. Somehow that they had all let the youngest member of the family down, yet again; that they had failed him, left him alone in his torment. He remembered the promise they had made, and grimly reaffirmed the vow. Having caught up to Joe, the little boy didn't seem to hear the faint whisper of determination that his older brother quietly whispered.

'I'm here, little buddy. We all are. And we are never going to leave.'