A Hold on a Cartwright's Heart

I do not own Bonanza or any of the characters, except for Amanda and Mason, they are mine. Adam is 32, Hoss is 27, and Joe is 20. No copyright infringement is intended this is just written for fun and pure enjoyment of the

Chapter Nine: Coming Home

Two months later in the month of April, everything was back to as normal as it gets around the ranch house. The Cartwrights and Hop Sing loved having Amanda and Mason staying with them. Amanda and Mason had been moved upstairs in the other guest bed room after that terrifying day, just to let Ben and the boys to feel at ease and incase those two men escaped and came after them.

Adam had left the month before on a spring trip to San Francisco. He had two reasons to go alone. The first, to try and get some cattle sold, the second to get away for awhile. Adam had very strong feelings for Amanda, but he wasn't sure how she felt about him. Sure the incident two months ago Amanda had cried in his shoulder, while he held her, but she had been in shock. So Adam had taken all his feelings and buried them in his heart, and volunteered to go to San Francisco alone. Maybe when he got back his feelings for Amanda would change.

Amanda's stomach had swollen a little more in the last two months, but it was enough that she couldn't fit in her dresses any more. Ben, who couldn't threw any of it away, had given her some of Marie's clothes that she had worn when she was carrying Joe, which slightly embarrassed Joe.

Amanda was going crazy, she missed Adam, but she didn't want to. Every morning when she got up she would look out into the living room to see if he was sitting in that blue chair reading.

Joe, she could tell liked her, after all he did wear his heart on his sleeve. Joe had been pestering Amanda about taking a ride around the Ponderosa since she hadn't yet. Though try as she might without hurting him she tried to get across that she didn't like him the way he likes her. But being Joe he still tried, until his father confronted him about bugging her.

Amanda wasn't the only one that missed Adam; almost everyday Mason would ask where he was. Amanda had never saw him act this way, ever, Mason usually shied away from men. There was just something about the Cartwright men that made Mason comfortable, especially Adam. Today Mason was very excited because Adam was arrive home today.

"Is Adam here yet?" Mason asked for the third time that morning at the table.

"Like I told you last time Punkin," Hoss said "he'll be here soon."

"Now you be quiet for the rest of breakfast." Amanda said. Mason nodded slightly and went back to eating his biscuit in silence.

"I'm glad Adam is coming back," Ben said, "we need all the help we can get for the spring cattle drive." Joe nodded and then took a sip of coffee.

"I'll run into town later on today and round up a couple more men." Joe said.

"Thanks Joe." Ben said then he turned to Hoss "has that mare had her colt yet when you checked on her this morning?"

"No, Pa," Hoss said "but I reckon she's getting pretty close, best go check again, come help me Joe." Hoss and Joe stood up and headed towards the door stopping only to put on their hats.

"Ben?" Mason asked ignoring the look he got from his mother. Ben turned his attention to Mason. "do you think I can have that baby horse after its born?" both Amanda and Ben were surprised, but then Ben smiled.

"Consider it yours," Ben said "as long as your mama says its ok." Mason looked at his mother with the sweetest puppy dog face, Amanda could help but give in.

"You have to promise to take real good care of it." Amanda said.

"Oh you bet I will Mama." Mason said bouncing off his seat.

"Now go upstairs and wash up." Amanda said. Mason jumped down from the chair and hurried up the stairs.

"Thank you, Ben." Amanda said smiling at the man she now considered a father.

"I'd do anything to make that boy happy." Ben said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Just don't spoil him to much." Amanda said with a laugh.

"No, never," Ben said also laughing. He stood up and stretched then said, "well I better get out there and help Hoss and Joe." Just then they heard a horse coming the yard.

"I bet that's Adam." Ben said almost running to the door. Amanda stood and followed Ben out the open door and sure enough there was Adam, climbing off Sport, with Joe and Hoss standing by him.

Amanda's heart skipped a beat, 'Adam is home,' Amanda thought 'thank God.'

"Adam." Ben said hugging his son, "glad to see you home safe."

"It's great to be home, Pa," Adam said hugging his father back, "you wouldn't believe how hard it was this spring to sell off that two hundred head."

"Nice to have you home, Adam." Hoss said gathering Adam in a tight bear hug.

"Hoss, I can't breathe." Adam said struggling against him.

"Sorry," Hoss said "just missed you something awful." Adam patted him on the shoulder in understanding.

"And how much trouble have you gotten into since I've been gone." Adam said giving Joe a slight push.

"No much as usual, Adam." Joe said giving Adam a push back. Amanda watched, as she was standing on the porch, the tender moment happen before her eyes. It was something she missed, a family's love for one another. Amanda decided to make herself noticed, so she cleared her throat.

The men turned to her surprised. Ben laughed and reached a hand out to her, silently telling her to come over, which she did.

"Welcome home, Adam." Amanda said taking Ben's outstretched hand.

"Thank you." Adam said, then there was a very awkward silence in the air. Ben cleared his throat.

"Well," Ben said "I think someone in the house is very excited to see you." Adam's face lit up, for he knew who his father was talking about.

Adam watched as Ben and Amanda retreated to the house and Hoss and Joe to the barn. He sighed 'So much for not having feelings for Amanda anymore.' He thought 'but now I know how she feels.' He smiled as he recalled the look on her face as he dismounted his horse.

He walked into the house and stopped to take off his hat, jacket, and gun belt. His father an d Amanda were sitting on the settee, talking about baby names. Adam couldn't help but smile, his father talking about baby names, the last time he heard his father do that was when Hoss's mother was pregnant with him.

"I'm going to wash up first." Adam said heading for the stairs, before Ben or Amanda could answer there was a pitter patter from upstairs.

Mason appeared at the top of the stairs, his eyes sparkling as he ran down the first flight of stairs.

"Adam!" Mason yelled and then jumped. Amanda and Ben gasped. Adam just about didn't catch him, but held fast.

Mason wrapped his arms around Adam's neck, and began crying.

The scolding that was on Amanda's lips died when she saw Mason crying. The scene was so beautiful that right then and there she decided she wanted Adam as a husband and a father to Mason and this baby. She just hoped Adam felt the same way.