Guns and Switches

3rd story in the Alexandra Series.

Summary: Alexandra has some life lessons to learn. Alex tries to persuade Adam of her reasons for needing a gun. Adam has a little persuasion method of his own in mind. But there is another life lesson for Alex, one that may prepare her for a special but difficult journey. Marty and Adam start courting. Warning: CP of a minor in some chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bonanza, or any of its characters. David Dortort and Fred Hamilton created them and played with them for 14 years. The series is owned by NBC.

Previously:

"Tell you what, now that I know a little bit more about this, I will teach you how to shoot and handle a gun safely and learn to respect it. But you have to promise me, promise me with all your heart that you won't touch a gun without me around until you have learnt to handle it correctly and then you will only touch or use a gun in self defence."

"Oh daddy, I will, I promise, I promise."

"Good, but if you break that promise Alexandra, so help me, I will take a switch to your backside and give you a lickin that you will never forget."

Alexandra grimaced, then shuddered taking his threat seriously. "Shessssh daddy, trust me will ya."

Warning: Physical chastisement of a minor in this chapter.

Chapter 5

Guns and Switches pt 2

Adam sat in the big red chair, the same place he had sat for last three afternoons, while he drilled Alexandra on the use and responsibilities when handling firearms. Alexandra sat crossed legged at the coffee table, and had recorded every rule her father had dictated. Adam made it quite clear that the child would not be touching a gun until she could recite the list of safety procedures verbatim and understood the responsibilities and the consequences of misuse or recklessness.

Alex concentrated; her tongue out while she tried to memorise the list. She would read, then close her eyes, mumbling to herself, then open them and smile when she had obviously got it right, or bang the table with her tiny fist and cuss under her breath when she didn't. Fortunately for her she got it right most times, although Adam had to threaten her with a good mouth washing and a smack if she thought out loud and cussed for a third time.

Adam suddenly clapped his hands together, "Alright Alexandra, time to see what you remember."

Alex jumped and the sound, "Arrhh, dad, don't do that, yer damn neared scared the bjesus outta me."

"Oh, cussing and blaspheming, this time."

"Bjesus isn't cussing, dad."

Adam crooked his finger and called her over. "Damn is cussing and bjesus is taking the lords name in vain."

"I wasn't takin Jesus anywhere in vain; I was tryin ta hold him inside offa me. Everybody has Jesus inside of him, Dad, so ya jist can't go around scarin folks like that, cause ifin they don't pee their pants, yer gonna scare Jesus right outta the window. Ya should be more careful, especially ifin someone's got a gun and ya go doing something like that. I was concentratin real hard; learning all these here rules, and I reckon I knowed them all, but now, ya got me nerves all shot up!"

Adam had to hide a small smile and quickly asked, "Ah huh, what's rule number seven?"

Alex pursed her lips. "Ifin ya nervous about firearms ya shouldn't pick one up."

Adam cocked one eyebrow. "And…"

"Or, ifin ya not nervous and all cocky thinking ya know everything thar is ta know bout guns, ya defirentilly shouldn't pick one up."

"Defiantly and definitely. Good that's tonight's lesson done then, better get the rest of your homework done before supper." He smiled, while patting her on the back.

Alex stomped her foot. "Not fair! I knowed this was jist a big ole trick. Ya done promised me ta teach me ta defend myself. I done all the right things so far, and now you jist playing smarty games with me. I ain't doing nuffin, no homework, no chores, no nuffin, you a big cheater, Dad." Alex crossed her arms and turned her back on her father, so she could scrub at the tears that started to well up in her eyes.

Adam took a breath, feeling a little guilty. He just wasn't comfortable about all of this. He had taken his father's advice seriously and in essence agreed with it; this was a harsh life a harsh land and handling a gun was a necessity. That and the fact that Alex was fearful of being harmed and most likely determined, no matter what threat Adam made, to try and use a gun. He promised her that he would teach her, promised her that he would keep her safe and that included teaching her about guns and how to protect herself.

Though Alex was probably right; on some subconscious level, he was trying to find ways to avoid the lessons he needed to teach. "Besides being nervous or cocky around guns, Alexandra Cartwright, one needs to be in control of their temper," he said accentuating his point with a pop to her britches. "Now turn around and stay clear headed."

Alex took a big breath, dropped her hands by her sides and then turned, "Okay, Daddy, but no more ticks." She threatened waving her small finger at his nose.

"Not tricks, Alex, LESSONS. Learn to control that temper, you are too easily provoked."

"Which is not a good thing ifin ya holdin a gun, right, Dad?" said Alex, conceding so they could get on with the lesson.

"Good girl. Okay, now. It is our right to keep and bear arms, but it also our responsibility to do so safely. It only takes one little mistake to cause a big accident. Firearms are …"

"Firearms like guns are capable of bod…illly injury, destruction and death if misused. Which means ifin ya don't handle them with care and safety. Of course ya might want ta cause bodillly harm or destruction, like ifin a robber was in ya house and ya didn't wanta jist up and bodillly harm him or killed him outright, ya might wanna shoot down the chandelier, so it drops on his head, which I guess would cause him bodily harm and destroy grandpa's chandelier. Maybe he should get a cheap ceiling light, like one they had at the saloon in Elk. It was a big moose head with candles in his antlers. Thata cause bodily harm ifin it landed on ya, but not destroy the moose head, and ifin it did, well, they could easily get another one cause they got hundreds of moose's in Elk. Of course ya need a mighty powerful gun ta shoot a moose. That's where rule number two comes in." Alexandra was on a roll. "Learn the proper rules and features of your weapon afore ya shoot it for the first time."

Adam nodded each time Alex made a point. He was just about to interject, when she appeared to go off on a tangent, however she came around to rule number two, so he was satisfied. Though, this could take all night if she extrapolated and embellished each of the rules to such an extent. "Good Alex, you've got the first two rules correct, now try and keep your answers short and to the point."

"Oh, but I figured ya wanna make sure that I' knowed them real clear. Gosh, Dad, I cin learn jist words off by heart, like momma could so when she was practicin for a play. Them just words, but these rules ya gotta understand. You want me to understanded them don't ya, Dad? "

"Yes, Alex I do, but how about we try and shorten the answers a little?"

"I'll try Dad."

"Good, I'd appreciate it. So rule number three is; only load a gun when you need to, right?"

"Wrong, Dad, you testin me, right; not trickin me?"

"I'm not tricking you, Alex. Why is that wrong?"

"Well because, the guns in this house, like them over there and the ones in grandpas desk and the ones hanging up on the pegs at the door are all loaded. They are here ta protect us ifin we need ta be protected, and ifin they only got loaded when we thought we was goin ta use them, well they wouldn't be ready in an emergency. It would take up too much time; we could be surprised by bad people or wolves and have ta move real quick. Ifin we weren't fast enough to load the guns, well then we could be cactus."

"Excellent, Alex."

"And my answer wasn't too long was it, Dad, cause I coulda told ya bout the time…"

"Let's move on we still haven't finished with rule number three, Alex. So we keep all the guns loaded, but?"

"But, we must know how to handle it safely. We assuppose that all guns are loaded."

"We assume that all guns are loaded…"

"All guns, anywhere at any time, so we handle them like we think they are loaded, respnsinbilllity…ahh… safely."

"How?"

"We never point a gun at anybody or anything that is not our intended target. Never handle a gun when ya don't need to. Ifin ya need to check to make sure, ifin it's loaded or not. Ifin ya not sure ask a grown up. Ifin ya buy yerself pretend it is loaded. Never drop, or throw or man handle a gun, that means hold it wrong or play with it."

"Why don't we play with guns?"

"That's rule number five, Dad, ya forgot rule number four. Never accept a gun from another person ya don't know. Ifin ya find a gun…"

"Okay we will get back to that, but why don't we play with guns?"

"Because, they ain't toys. It don't make ya look strong or mean ya are invisible."

"Invincible, Alex, which means thinking that you can't be hurt, because you think you are powerful."

"Well that's good, cause I could figure out for the life of me why somebody would think they were invisible, jist because they had a gun. You could be hidin in the bushes, but it ain't the gun that's hiding ya, is it; it's the bush. Ya wouldn't want the gun ta be invisible either, cause then ya wouldn't know ifin you were holdin it the right way. It might be fun ifin you were invisible, though… but then ifin ya were ya probably wouldn't need a gun, now would ya? It might be good too iffin the gun…"

Adam pinched the bridge of his nose, then clapped his hands loudly. "Alex! Stay on…"

Alex smiled and shook her finger at her father. "Ya didn't scare me that time, Dad. Now where was we?"

Adam slapped her pointed finger away. "We are talking about why guns aren't toys."

"Oh, I remember. And ya shouldn't show off with guns, or take then ta school ta show ya friends, or pretend ya know all about guns and ya allowed ta go off shootin on ya own, or that you're a great shot, like Uncle Joe, or ya could beat a gunslinger bandit, even though iffin ya practiced enough ya probably could."

"No you couldn't," warned Adam, shaking his head.

Alex mirrored her father's head movement, and then nodded. "Ya wouldn't, cause ya knowed even ifin ya were a good shot, showin off is not what learning ta handle gun is all about. It's about protecting ya self, ya family, hunting and catching the bad guys. Besides all that; ifin ya Pa found ya showin off with a gun he'd take a switch ta ya backside."

"That's a definite. What would you do if you found a gun?"

"Ifin I found a gun, in the street?"

"Or anywhere?"

"Or anywhere? I wouldn't touch it and I wouldn't let anyone I was with touch it. I wouldn't let anyone hand me a gun unless they done showed me it was unloaded or ifin it was loaded for us ta use; say ifin we were out huntin big bears in the woods, I'd make sure it was handed ta me the right way and check it myself. But just like afore; you assume it is loaded. Ifin I found a gun I would get a grown up. You or Sherriff Coffee, or Uncle Joe, or Uncle Hoss or Grandpa or Marty, cause I knowed she done used guns afore. There's proply lot more people I would trust dad, like President Lincoln and Willy Fitzgerald's older brother and …"

"Yes there are probably lots. Just as long as it is someone you know… an adult you know," added Adam, reminding himself to be very specific with Alexandra.

"Of course, Dad, that goes without saying."

"Nothing goes without saying when it comes to guns, Alex."

"Jeesh, Dad, you're more nervous than me."

"I am, so don't get too sassy, because I'm the grown up here and may choose stop at anytime."

Alex bit her lip. "Okay, but it's not like I'm gonna go get James Harrison, him being only three. But Dad, what ifin James found a gun, and his pa weren't close by, should I take the gun offa him, then get a grown up? I wouldn't like ta leave him while he got a loaded gun in his hands."

"That's a good question, Alex, I guess you would have to take it from him. But…"

"But, I would assume it's loaded and be very careful, say come up from behind him, or ta the side of him, real slow, so as not ta spook him."

"Yes well, let's hope that something like that never happens. I'm sure Mr. Harrison has his guns safely out of reach of small children."

"Yep, proply same as us. They all up high in the cabinet."

"Good girl Alexandra. You have taken this very seriously. Now we have two hours before supper. Pa and the boys are going to be late tonight, so we have a little extra time. Show me what you remember from yesterday, about cleaning and dismantling a gun. Go get Joe's small riffle from the cabinet and bring it here."

"Will we get a go at the targets tonight, Dad?"

"That depends; how much homework have you got?"

"Only this," said Alex, lifting up her list of gun rules and safety procedures.

"This is not your school work, Alex."

"Yes, Dad it is; I'm adding it to my project, jist as soon as I learn it all. I got all the rules written down already. I just got ta do it again in my bestest writing. Then I'm gonna make it look unthentic."

"Authentic, how?

"Don't know yet, but I wanna make it look real old."

"Hmm, Oh Okay. Go then, go get the rifle; we may get a go at the targets after you show me what you remember about looking after guns."

Adam cleared the coffee table and laid an old grey blanket square on it, while Alex went to the gun cabinet. They had practiced this several times during the past week, going through the routine of checking the guns, dismantling, cleaning and reassembling, loading then unloading. Adam's head shot up as Alex lifted the small rifle from the cabinet, pointed it away from her, then to the ground as she bought her knee up to use as leverage to open the loading arm.

"It's not loaded, Dad," called Alex.

"Good, bring it here."

"Should l I get the shells for it, too?"

"Yes."

Alex bought over the gun and placed it on the table with the shells next to it before squatting down in front. For the next ten minutes, she demonstrated her knowledge and the procedures of gun safety and care, passing with flying colors and with no imaginative embellishments.

"It's a bit of chore having to do this isn't it, Alex?"

"Sure is, Dad, but that's rule number 8; A dirty, or poorly cared for gun is more dangerous than any other."

Adam looked down at this little girl who he loved more than life itself and said, " I am very proud of you, Alexandra; you have worked hard to learn all the rules."

Alex looked up at him, a large smile covering most of her face.

Happy with the preparations, Adam decided to bite the proverbial bullet, pun intended, and now actually allow his child to learn to shoot a gun. "Come on, unload it and bring the shells with you, time for some practice and I want to discuss a few other things."

Alex beamed; she unloaded the gun and jumped up. Taking the shells with her as she headed for the door and the target range Joe had set up behind the barn.

oOo

"When firing at targets, always keep the gun pointed down towards ground or at the targets." Adam knelt down beside Alex, with his arms firmly clasped on the gun the child held in her hands. "Keep your finger off the trigger, outside trigger guard; do not rely on the 'safety' mechanism until you have taken aim."

"Why, Dad?"

"Because, they don't always work properly and until you know what is between you and your target, and what is beyond, keep your finger away from the trigger. If the gun goes off it can ricochet. Even water is dense enough to ricochet just as dangerously as some hard woods and of course, metals and rocks, so look and think before you pull the trigger."

Adam stood up, let go of the gun, and allowed Alex to go through the actions he had just set out. She took aim at the largest tin can sitting on the log some six feet away. She put her finger on the trigger, closed her eyes and fired. Missing the target, she landed with a hard thump on her backside. Adam resisted the urge to catch her and stepped sideways allowing her to land just at his feet.

He looked down with a smirk and his hands on his hips. "One more thing, you have to keep your eyes open, little girl," he laughed.

"Aww, not funny, Dad." Alex put the gun down before pulling herself up with the aid of Adams large hands in hers.

"No baby it isn't, but you can see that even this little gun can be powerful."

Alex nodded and took up her position again, this time planting her feet firmly she concentrated, her tongue wedge at the side of moth then closed one eye as she aimed and fired. But again she closed both eyes, anticipating the sound of the quickly opened them again, to see her bullet miss and embed itself in the tree behind, a good three feet above her target.

"Gosh, I'm a real lousy shot, Dad."

"That's because you keep closing your eyes. Every time you do that, your gun tilts up just a little."

"Jist a little! Dad, ma bullets done gone ten foot above the can."

"Not quite, but yep; goodness knows what you'll hit. You have to keep your eyes open every time, all the time."

"But how, I can't help it, ma eyes jist do it all by their selves."

"With practice and repetition you can retrain you reflex response."

"Meybe, I should cover ma ears." Alex bent down and grabbed a handful of dirt, spat on it and shoved it in her ears."

"No stop that, oh for goodness sake, Alex."

"Huh, Dad? …Hey it done worked!"

Adam grabbed his handkerchief and wiped the mud from her ears. "You need your ears, Alex. You need to listen as well as see; hear a twig brake, or a click of a gun behind you, or the growl of an animal. You need to listen carefully."

"Oh didn't think bout that?"

"Hmm, here let's try this for a moment. Adam stood up and unloaded her gun, then handed it back to her. Now shoot."

"I ain't gonna hit anything Dad, it's got no bullets."

"I want you to pretend it does. Now go through everything I told you just like it's loaded."

"Oh okay."

Alex sturdied herself and took aim. Before putting her finger on the trigger, Adam stepped on a twig close to her left. Alex snapped her head left and swung around, with her gun purposely pointed to the ground at Adam's feet.

"See! You have good reflexes' Alex."

"Dad that was dangerous, ya shoulda not done that. What ifin this gun was loaded."

"You would have…"

"I woulda shot the ground dad, but I ain't even got my finger on the trigger, but ifin I had, I mighta shot ya in the leg."

"You might have. And that would have been my fault, for not declaring my presence. Just the same your reflexes were good, and you played it safe under the circumstances."

"Cause I knowed you were there, Dad, but what ifin an animal was coming up behind ya about ta eat you, or a mad robber, I woulda shot you instead."

"You may have, we'll never know…" Adam suddenly recalled, still with the pang of dread, a similar scenario while he and Joe had been out hunting a wolf. He shook the memory away as quickly as it had come. "That's another lesson… You cannot always be sure about what's going to happen. Okay now let's get this eye closing habit worked out."

Alex turned and prepared once more to shoot the target, pretending the gun was loaded. She aimed and then fired, closing her eyes for a fraction of a second.

"Okay again, Alex."

Again Alex prepared and fired.

"Again," said Adam.

After five times the child was no longer closing her eyes when she pulled the trigger.

'Okay, lets load it." Adam reloaded her rifle and handed it back. "Now follow me."

"I'm gonna know it's loaded, Dad, this ain't gonna work."

"Trust me, get ready."

Adam pulled out his handgun from the holster. "Okay ready, aim, close your eyes, open your eyes, spot the target, fire."

Alex followed her father's quick orders, then in awe watched two tins fly into the air. "I did it, I did it. Did ya see Dad, I did it, yours went higher than mine, how come, is that cause ya taller or stronger?"

"No a different gun, Alex."

"Do I get ta use a hand gun, dad?"

"Not yet, they are a little too heavy for your wrist, Alex."

"Momma's wasn't her was a nice skinny little hand gun with a pearl engraved handle."

"I thought you said you never touched your mother's gun?"

"Well I didn't, but I'd knowed where it was and I done looked at it lots of times. Then I saw momma aim it at that nasty man Frank Hallet, or whoever he was. I seen it then, Dad. Am I in trouble; it was years ago."

"It wasn't that long ago, but no more just looking at guns when nobodies around, okay?"

"Okay, but what ifin…"

Adam held up his hand, sure Alex was going to start the discussion about Frank again. One he wanted to avoid for the time being. He had sent off wires earlier in the week asking several people to investigate Alex's claims. Until he heard back from one of them he didn't want fear making her over anxious. "Let's just concentrate on one thing at a time, Alex. Now reload, put four shells in. Ready? Follow me again. Ready, aim, close eyes, open eyes, spot, fire, ready, aim, close, open spot fire, ready, aim, open, spot, fire, ready, aim, open, spot, fire."

Alex followed Adam without hesitating. "Three out of four, Dad, three out of four, and I didn't close my eyes this time at all." She yelled jumping up and down on the spot.

"Two out of four, Alex," corrected Adam with a proud smirk.

"Still that's good ain't it?"

"Yep, it's good, but you l need work on keeping that tongue in your mouth, you're going to end up biting it off. Stick it up against your top teeth while you take aim, see like this." Adam demonstrated by poking his Jaw out and opened his mouth, then laughed when Alexandra mirrored him. "Good, you'll get that and everything else with more practice."

"Oh I will, I'll practice every day," she said enthusiastically.

"Not without me, Alex. Remember to do all those checks, remember to stay focused, be sure to..."

"Seems ta me with all this thinking and making sure, will take up too much time, Dad, what ifin I don't have time to think?"

"You always have time to think, with practice you learn to do these things quickly and automatically."

"Is that what you do, Dad. You're a good shot, ain't ya, so you jist think automatically."

"Yes it's what I do; I've had a lot of practice. But, Alex I've also made mistakes."

"Well, that's gonna happen, I suppose, but ya didn't mean ta make mistakes, that's why they's called mistakes."

"No I didn't, but that didn't make me feel any better Alex."

"Why, don't it? It should. Ya shouldn't let it worry so much, ifin it was an accident. Most folks are understandin about that. Even the law says ya cannot not be in trouble ifin it's an accident or in self defence, dad, so why don't ya feel that. What do ya feel?"

Adam didn't answer; instead he turned and walked over to a stringy bush growing close a large tree behind them. He snapped a long thin twig from the bunch, pulled his pocket knife and quickly stripped it of its leaves. He swished it in front of him as he moved towards his little girl, who now stood bewildered by the fallen log that had marked the parameters of their firing range.

Alex, shifted on her feet, taking in the neutral expression of her father as he moved towards her. That was definitely a switch he had flicking in front of him. She racked her brain trying to figure out what she may have done wrong. Had she been careless, perhaps he was just going to warn her of the consequences that he had constantly expressed, should she forget anything.

Adams resolve didn't waver, this was the way his father had taught him the final lesson. It wasn't going to be pleasant, but it was better than the alternatives or harsher options, like telling gruesome stories or personal accounts; of never forgetting the eyes of a man, staring as he lay dead. Teaching respect for firearms, teaching responsibility and bringing home the realities of their power, was the hardest of lessons to learn, they were definitely the hardest to teach, and while Adam's heart was aching as he watched the innocent trusting expression on Alexandra's face, his own expression feigned dispassion.

Without any explanation Adam, picked up Alex, took two steps to the fallen log and put his foot up on its base. At the same time he put Alex across his bent knee, firmly holding her around the waist, he then applied one sharp flick with the switch.

"Ahhh, Daddy… Owww, why?"

Adam let the sting of the first switch registered clearly in Alex's mind and her rear end before he bought the switch down a second time, just as quickly and sharply as the first.

This one took Alex's breath away, so much so she couldn't even yelp. Instead the knots in her stomach initiated a desperate attempt to get her backside out of the line of fire, literally.

Adam let her squirm, but held tight. He knew what was going through her head right now, and backside, he had never forgot this part of lesson himself. The struggle was part of it. The feelings of betrayal were part of it. Fighting against it was part of it. Alex was sure fighting against it, and he let her, he let her try to escape, he let her object and kick, and get angry.

Before her frustration completely gave way to pure rage, Adam bought down the switch for a third time; this one being the hardest of all. He snapped the makeshift cane quickly across the spread of her britches, igniting a scream from Alexandra like he had never heard from her before.

Alex's chorused her howl with more thrashing and kicking, so much so she did not notice her father drop the switch to the ground, while still keeping a firm grip around her middle.

Alex's activity gave way to the sobs that had been trying to escape since the second stroke. Peppered with anger, she growled every now and again, but was at least relieved that another swat hadn't landed. Her backside was on fire, feeling like she had fallen into a cactus bush she tried to reach back and rub out the splinters she was sure were embedded in her butt.

Adam grabbed her hands; Alex tensed thinking he was going to add a hand spanking to her burning upturned, rump. "Please Daddy, I'm sorry, fer whatever I done," she sobbed.

"No rubbing Alex, not yet."

Alex squealed and kicked once more before returning to her wails. "Owwww, Daddy' … whattta…. I … do…"

"Shhh, shhh, no talking, you can cry as long as you like, then we will talk."

"Can't I cry… and ru…ubb, Dad? She sobbed.

"Nope," he said and caressed her head, before moving to rub soothing circles around her back.

Alex let him for a while until the tears stopped and her anger returned. She pushed herself free of her father's knee. She wanted to reach back and rub, but crossed her arms instead, glared at her father then turned on her boot heal and went to walk away.

Adam quickly grabbed her, bent down and picked up the switch he dropped at his feet. Alex eyes went wide again and she prepared for a fight. Her frown and pursed lips quickly turned to bewilderment when her father handed her the switch.

Adam knelt down in front of her.

"Do I get ta use this on you, now?" she scowled, wanting so much to inflict the same pain, sure it would make her feel better, as good as maybe getting to rub at her still stinging backside.

Adam smiled for the first time, since he had decided to cut the switch, and copy his father's method. "My Pa explained to me, when I was even younger than you, when he had done the exact same thing. He wanted me to understand an important lesson..."

Alex interrupted. "Ya mean this is one of ya tricky lesson's, Dad? I might know. I should have a tricky lesson myself Dad, I betcha a I can hit ya jist as hard as Grandpa," she frowned, still angry and flicked the switch at him.

"You're a brave little thing that's for sure. But you are right; It is a bit of a trick to reinforce..."

"It's cheatin, Dad, sides you didn't even explain nothing dad, ya didn't warn me," she accused, stomping her foot.

"Feeling bewildered and wondering what happened are feelings a person has when a loved one has been accidently killed or hurt through misadventure...It's the 'why' there is no answer to, Alex. It doesn't make sense sometimes, and it's not fair. There are not always warnings when you use a gun; events can move quickly and out of your control.

Adam looked at the small face in front of him her tears dry but their tracks clearly stained on her dirty cheeks.

"Well maybe one smack woulda got that message through, Daddy, but three? I figure I owe you two."

"Alex, the pain of the switch is nothing compared to the pain of a gunshot wound, for an animal a person or yourself. It burns and you can't rub the pain away. It is worse for the person who caused it, if a wound or a death was due to recklessness or carelessness. The guilt is worse than the pain of that switch."

"Nothing could hurt worsa than this, Daddy. My ass done feel like It's been stung by a thousand jack ants. It ain't tickling."

"Curtail the language, little girl", Adam said as he half heartedly patted her backside "Don't worry, I remember how that feels, Alex."

" Jumpin, jaeesshhh," moaned Alex and clenched her small fist around the switch ."Ya sure? Cause I'm telling ya, I'm still wantin ta curl yer tail and remind ya at least jist once."

"Just about everyone has someone they care for and someone who cares for them. Losing a loved one to a gunshot; due to war, an accident or because they were a criminal doesn't diminish the pain or grief that follows for the ones that loved them. The pain of a switching can't compare to that pain."

Alex dropped her head, "hmmm, suppose, ita be mighty sad for their mommas, no matter who they is." She mumbled.

"Ah huh, and their daddy's, Adam nodded. He brushed Alex's stray curls from her forehead, kissed it then cupped her face in his hands. "My job as a father is to teach you right from wrong, to keep you safe and help you grow into a responsible adult. So remember all the things I taught you about guns, the safety rules, how to care for your gun and shoot accurately, but I also want you to understand and remember the responsibility that comes with owning and shooting guns. Be prepared that if you ever have to use that gun, someone will end up feeling some of the pain we talked about today.

It was a lesson Adam learnt well, but he was a thinker and he could understand analogies at a young age. Adam wondered if Alex was ready for such a harsh lesson, would she comprehend what he wanted her to learn? He searched her now pondering eyes hoping her fear had been addressed, but with insights into the possible repercussions that would arise if ever she had to use a gun in self defense.

Alex looked into her father's face as a fresh set of tears sprang to her eyes. She dropped into his chest and sobbed even harder when he finally embraced her, squeezing her so tightly that neither of them wanted to let go.

"I know you think that was a mean way to teach you, Alex. Your grandpa was just as tough with me. We had not lived here at the Ponderosa long,. I was a lot younger than you and your Uncle Hoss was just a baby, a big toddler. Grandpa worked hard on the ranch, but life was very different. Back then there were Indians, wild animals, and no law at times. Sometimes Grandpa had to leave me alone at the cabin just with Hoss. One day, a wolf came to the cabin while Pa was on the range, it tore apart several of the chickens, and wouldn't leave. We stayed in the house, hoping Pa would come home. Finally I got really worried thinking that Pa wouldn't see the wolf and he may be attacked, so I found pa's extra riffle, and started shooting at the wolf, I didn't hit it, but scared it off good. I also blew a couple of holes in the barn."

"Oops ," chuckled Alex, "so ya weren't a good shot then, Dad."

"Nope. Luckily your grandpa heard the shots and came running. But I made a real mess of the place, I could have wounded one of the barn animals or myself."

"Hmm, lucky Little George wasn't there. The wolf could have got him."

"Or he could have been killed in the cross fire, Alex."

Alex gasped then shook the image from her mind and took a deep breath.

Adam drew a breath with her. "And after all that the wolf had mauled nearly all the chickens."

"Was yer pa angry?"

"No he was scared, Alex. After this happened he started teaching me how to use guns properly and safely. Before long I could hit just about anything I put my mind to. But then one day pa took me out here and let me show him how good I'd become. I was a little cocky…"

"You'd done showed off didn't, Dad?"

"No, but I was pretty confident in my abilities and I told Pa that he didn't have to worry anymore if he had to leave us alone; that I could defend the ranch, I could look after Hoss and I'd shoot anyone that came near us. Then Pa cut a switch and he whipped my backside so hard I couldn't take breath. I felt just like you. I thought my Pa had gone mad. But then he grabbed me and hugged me when I started crying. He wanted me to understand that being able to fire a gun, meant that I had the ability to hurt, to kill and that I needed to understand that; know what that may feel like and be willing to take such responsibility."

"I don't think I want ta hurt people like this, not even a bad animal, Daddy. I don't think I would like it."

"You won't, I don't want you to like it. You will feel guilty sometimes, but you have a compassionate and caring heart. There were times I made the wrong choice, but there were many more times I could have used my gun and didn't because it was important that I act without malice."

"I don't know what that rightly means."

"It means I don't shoot at people because I'm mad at them, or they hurt me in some way, or they hurt someone I liked, not for revenge, I might want to, but I try not to lower myself to their standards. I stop and think about the pain not only to the person I think may deserve it, but the pain it may cause to those that don't."

"Ya shoulda jist told me all this, now I'm afraid ta use the guns, and I really might need ta defend maself."

"Don't be afraid, just be aware, cautious and do all the things I've taught you. My pa taught me the lessons quickly and the only way he knew how. I'm sorry I couldn't come up with a better way, because even though things are a little different this is still a dangerous time, a dangerous place to live." He said quickly whispering in her ear while still gently rubbing her back. "I hope you understand why I had to do what I did. Now you can rub the sting out of your bottom and we will take that switch home and stand it next to the guns in cabinet, as a reminder to us all."

Alex looked at him, her eyes big with more unshed tears and her lower lip quivering, and thankfully Adam could see it; she understood what he wanted her to learn. Adam wiped a few remaining tears from her cheeks.

"Are ya gonna use the switch every time we do target practice? Cause ifin ya are, I think I may jist find another way ta defend myself, like knife throwing, or meybe Uncle Joe could teached me some fancy sword fightin, or Hop sing could teach me one of them ancient Chinese martial arts, like Origami."

"I think you mean Kung Fu. Origami, that's the art of paper folding, Alex."

"Oh, that's it, Kung Fu, the dragon one. Hey, it would be funny though ifin I was an expert in origami, I'd say stay back you rotten down low varmint Frank Hallet, or I'll fold ya legs up so they hang over ya ears and ya face looks like a monkeys butt."

Adam was relieved that Alex was bouncing back to her old creative babbling, self, yet still a little apprehensive. "I won't be using the switch again, Alex, not unless you touch those guns without my permission or until I can be confident you will only use one in an emergency. But if you don't want to practice anymore, if you want to wait until you are older, that's okay too. Well Alex, what you want to do?" he asked.

Alex feigned annoyance and hid a smile as she furiously rubbed the sting out of her backside with one hand and pointed to the guns with the switch in her other. "You better grab those dad, I'm kinda porcupined."

"You mean preoccupied. Good, Alex, one shouldn't handle guns if they are distracted."

"No I mean porcupined. My bottom feels like it full of porcupine quills. I thought you said ya remembered what this felt like, seems ta me ya forgot. When we get home I can ask Grandpa jist how much you done remembered yer lessons. He might jist take you to the barn and take his turn with the switch on your backside ta remind ya, afore we do any more practicin and you get any more ideas for fancy learnin' tricks."

"Point taken, come on I'll race you back to the house."

"Don't go running with firearms, Dad, jesssh… besides I'm takin it slow, I need the rubbin time."

Adam, a lowered riffle in one hand and Alex with her switch in hers, walked hand in hand back to the house, pausing every now and again to both rub the diminishing sting from Alex's butt.

TBC

Chapter 6 – Leo

A.N. A little more of this story to go. Did anyone pick up the subtle references to the Bonanza episodes "My Brother's Keeper" and "The Crucible"? ( of course the time frames these incidents were meant to have happened have been altered for the purpose of my fiction.)

Big shout outs to Lajoci, for helping me with this chapter, especially the hard lesson. Namvetmp and callih , for the fantastic set of rules that I could adapt to both the setting and for Adam when teaching the safe handling and use of fire arms to Alex.