The Importance of Family

Disclaimer: I don't own Bonanza, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst

Rating: FRT

The Importance of Family
Chapter 5


Hoss looked towards the trail his little brother had disappeared down hours earlier. He told himself he was being paranoid, it wouldn't be the first time Joe had lost track of time riding the trails, coming in well after dark. Something was telling him, though, that his youngest brother was in trouble.

Hoss was a man who had lived close to nature all of his life, had in fact always felt more comfortable around animals than people. Animals didn't play games; a man never had to guess what they really wanted or worry about offending them. Just make sure they had food, shelter and a little attention and they were perfectly happy. Having spent so much time with animals, he had learned to trust his instincts and right now those instincts were telling him that Joe was in trouble. Squaring his shoulders, he headed inside to find his father and older brother.

"Dad...Adam," Hoss called as he came inside.

"Your father's in his study Mr. Hoss," Hop Sing told him in answer to his call.

"Thanks Hop Sing," Hoss nodded, giving the small cook a wave of his hand as he headed for Ben's study.

"Come in Hoss," Ben responded to the knock on his door.

Hoss shrugged and walked into the study, "How'd you know it was me?"

Ben smiled, "Heard you hollering when you came in."

Hoss ducked his head, a sheepish look on his face. "Sorry about that."

"It's all right son, but what's so important that it had you hollering?"

"Well sir, um, I guess Adam told you that Little Joe took off on his dirt bike earlier?"

Ben frowned, "Yeah, he did and I plan to have a talk with him about shirking his chores when he gets back. He is back isn't he?" Ben asked, just noticing that it was nearly dark.

"No Dad he isn't, that's what I came looking for you about."

"Don't tell me you're worried about him," Adam scoffed, stepping into the room and conversation.

"And you ain't?" Hoss asked.

"Irritated, angry, exasperated, but not particularly worried, no," Adam calmly replied.

"I don't like him being out on the trails in the dark either Hoss," Ben spoke before an argument could begin. "I see where Adam's coming from though, it's not, after all, the first time Joe has ridden his dirt bike on the trails in the dark."

"I know it isn't Dad, but he was pretty mad when he left and besides my gut is telling me something's wrong," Hoss countered.

"So we're just supposed to drop everything and go looking for little brother, whose probably off sulking somewhere and doesn't need rescued?" Adam cooly asked.

Hoss glared at Adam, "You do what you want big brother, but I'm gonna go find our little brother. If it turns out he's just sulking then I'll drag him home and he can sulk here."

"Calm down both of you," Ben ordered just as Adam opened his mouth to reply. "Adam you know as well as I do that Hoss' gut isn't often wrong. So, we're going to take a few hands and we're going to search for Joseph. Hopefully he's not hurt and will just need a talking to, but I'm not willing to risk his life for the sake of stubbornness. Hoss you go gather up any supplies you think we'll need, Adam you go get a few of the hands to join us, I'll set up a search grid and have Hop Sing fix us up with some sandwiches and coffee to take along," Ben firmly ordered. He shook his head, smiling in amusement as both of his grown sons immediately left his study to carry out his orders.

Joe wasn't sure how long he'd been out this time, or how many times he'd woke up so far. Each time, he seemed a bit fuzzier than the last. At least the pain was getting better, he thought to himself. It didn't occur to him that it might not be a good sign. He idly wondered how long it would take his family to start looking for him. Would they start as soon as it neared dark, or would they wait until morning? Would they even notice he was gone?

"Why would they?" an oddly familiar voice asked.

Joe looked around, he hadn't even heard the man approach. "Because they love me," Joe replied, glaring at the man who stood just out of sight in the shadows.

"Then why didn't they know? If they loved you they would have known...and you wouldn't be hurting now," the man cryptically observed.

"There's no way for them to know I'm hurt," Joe argued. He wondered who this man was and why he thought he had a right to say anything against his family. "Who are you?"

The man made a tsking sound, "Why Joseph, I'm hurt that you don't recognize me."

"How can I when you stay hidden in the shadows?" Joe frowned. He felt like he should know who this man was, but the familiar stranger refused to step into the light, leaving him feeling frustrated and confused.

He could hear the smile in the man's voice when he replied, "You'll find out who I am in time."

Before Joe could ask what he meant the man was gone, making him wonder if he'd ever really been there. "Don't be stupid Joe, of course he was there," he told himself. He'd seen him, after all, even if he had been hidden in the shadows. His imagination might be good, but it wasn't that good anymore; he hadn't had an imaginary friend since he was six years old.



During the early part of the search, everybody stayed together, but when they came to the point in the trail where the paths diverged, it was necessary that they split up. Adam and Clem took the right hand path, while Hoss and Mick went to the left, Ben and Jeb would continue on the main trail. If none of them found Joe, they would meet up again where the trails came back together.



Adam groused as he and Clem rode slowly along the trail. In spite of his irritation with Joe, he understood the need to get away sometimes. But damn it, why couldn't he get away in the barn loft or escape into a book; why did he have to come out here where he could get hurt?

"We'll find him Adam," Clem offered after the silence had stretched on too long.

Adam nodded, he supposed they would; the question was what condition would he be in when they found him? The logical part of his mind couldn't believe he was even worrying, there was no evidence that Joe was in trouble, just Hoss' gut feeling. His brother's gut was seldom wrong, however, and it was that knowledge which spurred Adam on, allowing him to ignore his more logical side.

Hoss wasn't having any luck either, though unlike his brother he had no doubt that Joe was in trouble. He only hoped that the trouble wasn't too bad. As he knew Adam and his father were doing on their trails, Hoss kept shining his flashlight along one side of the trail, while Mick covered the other side. Silently he prayed as they searched that at any moment they would find Joe, pushing his bike and cursing whatever problem it had developed to put him on foot.




Ben shook his head at himself as he checked his radio once again; though he knew it was fine, a part of him kept hoping it was broken. It was an explanation for the silence that he preferred to the truth; Adam and Hoss hadn't found Joe either. The sound of a voice calling his name brought him from his thoughts. Hurrying over to Jeb's side, he looked down the embankment..."Joe," he whispered. "Call the boys and tell them where we are," he ordered Jeb as he moved quickly down the hill to his youngest.

He was so still, too still, Ben thought. Shakily he reached out, touching his fingers to Joe's neck. His shoulders sagged, there was a pulse, it was too fast and didn't seem as strong as it should, but at least there was a pulse. "Joe, son," Ben called, lightly slapping his son's face in an effort to bring him around. The only response he received was a weak moan that did nothing except increase his worry.

Hoss and Adam arrived at almost the same time. They exchanged an uneasy glance as they looked down the hill at their little brother lying still and bloody. "How bad is he hurt Dad?" Hoss called down, speaking for them both.

"I don't know Hoss," Ben replied. "He's unconscious and his pulse is fast, but it's there. Adam, I want you to radio Search and Rescue, tell them to send a chopper to Johnson's meadow, they'll have to hike in from there. Tell them to make sure and bring a back board with them."

Hoss paled, "Lord no, not his back," he whispered.

Adam patted his shoulder, "Don't worry Hoss, it's just a precaution," he soothed his younger brother. Recognizing that Hoss needed to do something, he called down to his father. "I'll make the call Dad; then Hoss and I'll go down to meet them, we'll be back with help in no time at all."

Ben nodded, his attention on his youngest. As his older sons rode off to bring help for the youngest, he silently prayed that they would return before Joe's condition grew any worse.


TBC