Chapter Twenty

Gregory Miller had traveled so many thousand miles in his life that he had lost count many years ago. His parents had sailed from the Motherland looking for adventure and a new world and he had been born on the open seas. His father had joked that he had been born with the wanderlust as his young spirit longed to roam. He had been called back to the sea as soon as he could convince a captain to take on an inexperienced landlubber and neither of his parents had been surprised. What had surprised them was when he had brought home a young bride. None of them had seen him settling down, but the young woman was wise enough and in love enough to allow her husband to keep both of his loves. He chose shorter voyages so the times away were less, but she never tried to make him choose between his love of the sea and his love of his wife.

As the miles of dusty road rolled by under the stagecoach wheels, he stared at the landscape and saw none of it. He'd known great love and great loss in his life, starting with both of his parents who died when an influenza epidemic gripped the area. He had buried them both within a week of each other. He could forgive God for taking the elderly, but what he could not forgive was when his wife succumbed to the fever after nursing both of his parents. Their boy had been sent to Mrs Harris while the fever had raged and he never came back.

Gregory closed his eyes and grit his teeth as he recalled his own cowardice. He'd run away, lost in grief and pain and taken the nearest vessel that would hire him. After three months on the sea, he'd pulled himself together enough to return and face up to what he had done.

He figured that God had held onto that poor choice and used it against him when he'd set sail for Panama years later and the ship had foundered. They were so far off course due to the storm that he had no idea where he was when he washed ashore. Only two others had survived as far as he could tell and the three of them had set about finding their way home.

As he stared out the window once more, he still couldn't believe that two years had passed as they had fought, struggled and survived. The final blow came when he arrived at Mrs Harris' house and found a stranger answering the door. The kindly woman was old and he shouldn't have been shocked at her death, but the fact his son had disappeared was the cruelest blow of all. When the orphanage told him his son had also died, he had run to the only place he knew. The sea welcomed him back with open arms.

He absently patted at his pocket and felt the folded paper within it. The last two weeks had been a blur and a stranger had rekindled hope he thought had died. Could it really be true? Could his boy be alive and well and living in Virginia City? Could God have given him another chance to be a father?

Joe couldn't figure why his father had decided to collect them all from school as there was nothing special about the day as far as he could tell. He had the wagon with no supplies or anything else in it and Adam and Hoss were with him so something strange was going on, but he couldn't figure what. His father seemed nervous and that was never a good sign. As he sidled up to Adam, he couldn't find the question he wanted to ask. Adam just squeezed his shoulder and smiled.

The group was gathered near the stage depot and Ben had walked away a distance as if he didn't want to have to talk to any of them. Adam was watching his father, knowing exactly what kind of turmoil was going on under the brim of his hat. He had decided to fill Hoss in on the ride into town, but it was still a tense wait. The man that was coming on the stage could turn the world one of two ways.

Joe could feel the tension, but had no idea of its cause and it set his stomach churning. Something was going on and he couldn't decide what it was. Derek and Matthew were sitting on the top of the railing, totally oblivious to Joe's anxiety.

As a shout echoed down the road, the stage rolled around the bend and pulled to a stop in front of them. The Wells Fargo Express official walked out and pulled down the step as he opened the door. He then stepped out of the way and helped the driver as he began to toss luggage from the top of the coach.

Joe waited as his father moved forward, still uncertain of just what was going on. Hoss had shifted the boys off the railing and appeared to be moving towards the street with them. Ben stood to one side and reached out a hand to assist a young lady down to the street. The next passenger to alight was an older woman who was clearly the young woman's mother. Finally, a man climbed down into the street and was scanning the area immediately. As he walked forward, Ben recognised the rolling gait of a sailor before the man even opened his mouth.

"Mister Miller?" He held out a hand as the stranger reached to shake it.

"Yes. I assume you are Mister Cartwright?"

"Ben. Call me Ben." As the two shook hands he was still looking around and his eyes finally latched onto what he had been seeking. Disbelief spread across his face as he stared at the boy standing on the boardwalk.

"Derek? My God, boy ... it really is you!"

Derek had turned white and was staring at the man in the street. Hoss thought he was about to keel over and grasped at his shoulder to steady him. The boy stayed rooted to the spot as the man he had thought long-dead climbed up onto the boardwalk and moved towards him. He couldn't speak and couldn't move as tears streamed down his face. The arms he had long dreamed of wrapped around him and he buried his face in his father's chest as he began to sob uncontrollably.

"Well I guess that answers that question." Adam nudged at his father's arm and wasn't surprised to see tears in his eyes.

People walking along the boardwalk were forced to step around the tableau as Derek simply clung to his father. Joe finally stopped staring and he moved over towards his father.

"Pa? You knew?"

"I hoped, Son. We weren't sure we had the right man and I wouldn't hold out false hope until we knew for sure."

Joe blinked at him as the reality sunk in. "Where's he been? Derek said he was dead and they put him in an orphanage! That don't make sense, Pa."

"I'm sure there is a long story to be told here, but for now, I think we have a long ride home."

Adam had the man's suitcase stowed on the back of the wagon and father and son were already settled on the front seat by the time Joe went to climb onto his pony. Matthew usually rode with Derek and Derek's pony was already tied to the back of the wagon so he went to see if Matthew wanted to ride with him. Hoss beat him to it as the little boy looked lost in the midst of the group. His gentle big brother hoisted the child into the saddle and swung up behind him without waiting to ask.

"Me and Matthew got us a few things to talk about on the way home." Hoss commented to nobody in particular and he nudged his horse out onto the road home.

Ben smiled at his son as he climbed into the driver's seat and set the horses moving. Gregory had not let go of his boy and the two of them were wrapped together as if fearful that the other could disappear at any moment.

Hop Sing had outdone himself preparing a meal fit for a celebration and Ben was profoundly grateful that it was a celebration. He looked across the table to where his youngest son was seated and felt his chest constrict. The fear-filled days where he did not know if his son was even alive had taken their toll on him and he wondered how a man could deal with two years worth of such days.

One side of the table was extremely animated as father and son answered the myriad of questions they all wanted answers to. It didn't escape his attention that Matthew hadn't said more than two words since they had arrived home. Hoss had placed the boy beside him and he was once again grateful for his son's gentle and intuitive nature. The youngster was going to need it when Gregory left with his boy.

It was several hours later when the younger boys had been put to bed and Gregory settled on the couch with a brandy. He looked across at the man he owed an unpayable debt to.

"Ben, I can't begin to thank you and your boys. I had given up hope of ever seeing my son again. When that young lady came and told me what had happened to him, I was so desperate to get to him that I left that night. You have no idea what this means to me."

"I have some idea." Ben nodded at him as he glanced at two of his sons.

Gregory settled back against the couch and sipped at his brandy. "That was quite a tale those boys had to tell."

"Your story was rather incredible too." Ben watched as the father closed his eyes and tried to keep his hand steady by gripping onto the edge of his seat.

"For two years … the thing that kept me going was getting home to my boy and when I got there …" Gregory looked up around the room and the tough outer shell of a sailor melted away to reveal a broken-hearted father. "When they told me he was dead, it near killed me. I went back to the only thing I had left."

"I can only imagine." Ben shook off the fear that crept around his shoulders as he considered the idea. He had done more than imagine. He had blamed himself when he thought Joe was dead.

Hoss had managed to keep his mouth shut, but found he couldn't do so any longer.

"For two years, the only thing your boy has had is young Matthew."

"Hoss!" His father's warning glare was almost ignored as Hoss fiddled with his trouser leg.

Gregory looked across at him and nodded slowly. A couple of times over the evening Derek had called the boy his brother before realising who he was talking to. "They seem very attached to each other."

"They are." Ben tried not to put any implications into the comment, but the man needed to know the truth. Taking one boy and not the other would break both their hearts. But taking on someone else's child was a major commitment that no man had the right to pressure another into.

"You have three fine sons, Ben. My wife and I always wanted more children, but it was not to be."

Silence filled the room as nobody seemed inclined to continue the conversation. Eventually the tension was broken as Hop Sing arrived with a coffee tray and cups were passed around. Ben hadn't missed the man's thoughtful glances upstairs. It was not a conversation to be rushed.

Over the next two days, Joe was indignant that his father insisted that both he and Matthew head off to school while Derek got to spend time getting reacquainted with his father. Each night they would sit at the supper table and it was clear to all of them that Matthew was withdrawing. For the most part, Derek had been so absorbed in reconnecting with the man he thought he had lost that he wasn't aware of the problem.

It was well after supper when Joe came downstairs and looked around. Derek was seated on the couch with his father, reading a book that Adam had loaned them.

Ben looked up from his own book. "What are you looking for, Son?"

"Umm… I kinda need to ask Derek something. It's real important."

Derek clambered to his feet, suddenly alarmed at Joe's strange demeanor. As he got closer, Joe carefully indicated he wanted to go upstairs. Since Matthew had been put to bed half an hour ago, he wasn't sure what the problem was, but he trusted Joe and followed him up the stairs.

As they reached the upstairs hallway, Joe turned and put a finger on his lips. The sound of crying carried across the space and Derek pushed towards the bedroom door. His brother was on the other side and yet when he stepped into the room, he wasn't there. As he looked around, he realised the sound was coming from outside.

Joe pointed at the window and nodded as Derek followed his finger. The younger boy slowly clambered out the window and crawled onto the ridgeline. When Matthew saw him coming, he gulped and scrubbed a hand across his face, trying to wipe away the tears. Derek didn't say a word as he wrapped his arm around his shoulder and Matthew leaned into him.

"I'm sorry."

"What for? You haven't done anything wrong."

Matthew swallowed again and tried to find the words for the misery that flowed out of him. "I wish he hadn't come."

"My papa?" Derek was stunned at the comment. His greatest wish had come true and his brother didn't … "Oh, Matthew!" Understanding slammed into him and he gripped at his brother a little tighter.

Joe leaned up against the inside wall and tried to keep his own emotion in check.

"He's gonna take you back to San Francisco and Mister Cartwright will find me a family here. I ain't never gonna see you ever again!"

Tears streamed down the boy's face as he thought of how bleak that future looked.

"You always said the stars could bring your papa home and ... and I prayed they would bring my mama and papa too. Guess not."

"Maybe they did."

Matthew jumped at the voice behind them and felt Derek's hands against his shoulders.

"I haven't climbed on a roof for a while, but it's no harder than getting up to the crow's nest." Gregory laughed as he tried to get his long legs through the small window before pulling at the top of the frame and sliding out onto the roof.

Derek smiled as his father settled down beside them.

"Son, this young fella seems awfully important to you."

"He's my brother, Papa. I know he's not, but he …"

Gregory held up a hand to stop him.

"I served on vessels with men who felt as close as a brother so I understand how that works. Now I'm a little out of practice with this whole fathering thing so I think I'm going to need some help. Do you suppose you and your brother might be able to remind me of how to do it?"

Matthew clutched at Derek's arm as he held his breath.

"You mean it?"

Gregory reached out to ruffle his son's hair and smiled. "Yes, Son. I mean it. If young Matthew will have me, I'd like to take him with us back to San Francisco."

"Papa! Yes!"

He grabbed at his father and slipped on the ridgeline as he did so. Gregory grabbed at him and pulled him closer.

"How about we get back inside and discuss the details in there? Where it's a little safer!" He thumbed towards the window and grinned at Ben as he tried to climb back in through the window.

As he reached to pull Matthew in, he set the boy on his feet and knelt down in front of him. "My boy couldn't love you the way he does if there weren't somethin' special about you."

Matthew simply stared at him as tears rolled silently down his face. He felt Derek behind him and he turned to hug the older boy who was also crying.

It would be another week before the circuit judge was back to officiate over the custody paperwork. In that time, Ben was pleased to see Matthew coming to life again. The misery and fear that had settled over him was gone and in its place, hope was beginning to blossom. Hope for a future that looked very different to what it had only a short time earlier.

Roy sat in the saloon with the two men and shared a beer along with some new information on the investigation in San Francisco. Gregory found himself boiling with rage as the details grew. The thought of what his boys had been through made him sick to his stomach. The name Walter Maddington felt like dirt in his mouth and he wanted to find the man and deliver some justice of his own. It was only Ben's restraining hand and reminder that two boys needed their father that stopped him. Roy had left with a firm promise that once the charges were laid at one end, they would also be laid in Virginia City. They all knew it could be months before the investigation was done and Ben had suggested they could stay at the Ponderosa and he would help set them up somehow.

"Thank you, but all I know is the sea. There's salt water running through these veins. If I can't go back to sailing, I need to at least have the smell in my nostrils or I'll go mad."

Ben smiled at the comment and understood. It had taken a long time to shake the brine out of his own veins and replace it with pine sap.

"What are you going to do when you get back?"

Gregory shook his head. "I have no idea. But I've got two very good reasons to make it work."

"Well, I have some contacts there and could write a letter of recommendation."

"I'd appreciate that."

Gregory sipped at his beer as he considered what lay ahead of him. The unknown challenges faded into nothing as he considered what he had gained. The man sitting drinking a beer across from him had given him his life back.

"There's something more that has nothing to do with me and comes from my sons."

Gregory leaned forward as the father smiled across at him.

"You'll recall I told you about a man called Kent Johnston who tried to kill Joseph."

"Yes."

"Well, there was a reward for his capture and the sheriff in Riversbend paid it to my boys and they made a unanimous decision as to what to do with it."

Gregory had no idea where he was going with it until Ben slid a piece of paper across towards him. "They opened a bank account with the Virginia City Bank for each of the boys."

As Gregory stared in disbelief, he felt his throat closing over and his breathing quicken. "Ben … you and your family have already done so much … and this …. this is too much. I can't accept this."

"You're a brave man." Ben grinned at him as a confused frown crossed his face. "You really want to have that argument with the three of them? Good luck with that!"

Ben burst out laughing as Gregory shook his head again.

Joe sat on the third step from the top of the stairs and leaned up against the railing. Mitch sat next to him and looked equally as miserable.

"Well don't that beat all, Pa? Warm sun on a day they don't need to be in school, fish abitin' in the pond and them two sad sacks just sittin' there, lookin' as blue as that there chair."

Hoss leaned against the newel and tried to draw a smile from his brother. His usually lively little brother had been unusually quiet since Derek and Matthew had left two days before to start a new chapter in San Francisco. Joe looked up at him and shrugged.

Adam appeared at the top of the stairs and slowly settled on the step above his brother. He clapped a hand on Joe's shoulder and another on Mitch's.

"You two ought to be proud of yourselves. There's two boys on their way to a whole new life because of you."

Joe shifted against his hand and tried to smile. It felt good to draw his brother's praise.

"But you miss your friends." Hoss smiled at the two of them as they both looked the picture of misery.

"Well, older brother …" Hoss straightened up again and nodded towards Adam, "I reckon there's still fish abitin' in that pond and they's got our names on them."

"Well, younger brother … I reckon you'd be right about that. So what are we doing sitting here? You grab that one and I'll grab this one!" He winked at Hoss as he hoisted Joe over his shoulder and began marching down the stairs with him. Hoss quickly had Mitch in a similar hold and Ben laughed as his two oldest sons carried the boys right out the door with both of them protesting to be put down.

"Hold up you two!" he roared as he reached the front door. Adam and Hoss turned back towards him, looking a little concerned. Ben struggled to keep a straight face at the sight of the two boys being carried towards the barn like sacks of grain. "I think I could do with a day chasing those fish too."

Elise tried to stop herself from pacing as she waited outside the stagecoach office. As it finally rolled to a stop, she found her breath hitching in her chest. An older gentleman climbed down the step before a mop of dark hair appeared and she couldn't contain a grin. As Derek clambered down to the ground he turned to reach for another hand. Elise almost skipped forward as she got her first glimpse of Matthew. The child had grown since she'd last seen him and his skin was a golden tan colour. Tears filled her eyes as she watched the man she barely knew step down and wrap an arm around both boys' shoulders. She stepped forward and Matthew caught sight of her first. He looked up at the man before bolting across towards her and flinging himself into her open arms.

"Welcome back, my darling!"

Derek tugged at the man's hand and pulled him towards her. She reached to hug him as well before standing up and taking the hand that was held out towards her.

"Miss Robertson."

"Mister Miller. I'm so pleased to see you all made it back together."

"I believe I have you to thank for even making that possible. I cannot begin to ever repay your kindness to my boys."

Elise raised an eyebrow at that comment, but said nothing. Gregory smiled at her face and nodded.

"Yes, my boys. I've got legal custody of Matthew and intend to file adoption papers as soon as I can."

Elise grinned again in a most unladylike fashion.

"This day just gets better and better!"

A/N: I always struggle to figure out where to wrap up a story, especially one that has gone on to be a bit of a saga. I thought this was a good place so I could leave room for a possible sequel. Joe and the boys running loose in San Francisco … hmmm! Feel free to make suggestions if you have any.

Thank you sooo very much for your support, comments, questions, feedback and encouragement throughout this story. I had fun writing it and I hope you had fun reading it.

When I started writing this story I didn't intend it to become anything other than a story, but it got me thinking. Child trafficking is a very real horrendous thing in our modern day world and we often feel helpless in the face of such huge issues. We feel like we can't do anything to help, but there is something very simple you can do to help. There is an app called TraffickCam that you can download for free. If you stay in a hotel anywhere in the world, you snap a few shots of your room and upload them to a database. That way investigators have a chance of identifying where children are being trafficked from because they can identify hotel rooms. Simple hey! And who knows, you could save a child's life. Please share that one far and wide.