Bonanza: "Broken Promises."

Chapter Three

Three miles South of Virginia City, Joe is in a saloon playing with a deck of cards when Candy walks in all roughed up. Joe looks up at him and asks. "Where have you been, I've been sitting here for nearly an hour waiting for ya." He notices his appearance and then asks. "What happened to you?" Candy sighs in exhaustion as he takes a seat in the chair next to him. "Don't ask."

Joe smirks and then tells him. "Well, I'd like to get back before supper and back to some good home cooking." Candy rubs his hand over his face and remarks. "It'll take me at least an hour to get cleaned up. I don't want Hannah to know I got into a fight, she'll have a fit." "Or she'll be so concerned about you, she won't even care about the fight." Joe tells him.

Candy looks at him with curiosity as he asks. "What do you mean?" Joe then explains to him. "Well, she could take one look at you and be all worried, asking if you're alright, wanting to take care of you, she won't even think to ask how it happened." "Really?" Candy replies. Joe nods. "Mm-hm. Works like a charm too. I remember I came home after having been in a fight during a round-up and Alice was so concerned by my appearance, she didn't even care to know how it happened, she just wanted to tend to me." Candy gives a soft chuckle. "Heh. Maybe I won't get cleaned up then. Of course if it doesn't work, I'm blaming you." Joe gives a soft chuckle as he responds. "Fair enough." Candy then looks around and asks. "Do we have time for another beer?" Joe shrugs his shoulders and replies. "I think we can spare a few minutes." Candy then holds two fingers up as he asks. "Two?" "Two sounds good." Joe replies with a smirk. Candy smiles big as he says. "Alright." He then gets up from his chair and heads over to the bartender as Joe shakes his head.

Meanwhile, back in the remains of the Virginia City Bank. Ben regains consciousness as he opens his eyes and his ears ring. He slowly lifts his head up as his vision is blurred and his head spins. He tries to push himself up when a surge of pain goes through his shoulder and he yelps out and grabs hold of it. He then coughs a bit as he gets up from the ground. He then gathers the strength to call out. "Is everybody alright in here!?" He hears a few moans and cries as he searches through the rubble. "Jamie!? Alice!!?" He coughs again. He then hears the voice of Jamie call out, weakly. "Pa! Over here!" Ben follows the sound of his voice as he moves through the debris in front of him. He then comes across Jamie lying back against the wall. He rushes over to him. "Jamie." He bends down to him. "Are you alright?" "My leg..I can't move." Jamie tells him. Ben looks down at the piece of debris covering his leg as Jamie cries. "It hurts, Pa." Ben gently places his hand on his shoulder as he tries to keep him calm. "Alright, alright, just take it easy, it's going to be alright." Ben then hears Hannah's voice call out to him. "Mr. Cartwright?" Ben looks at Jamie and tells him. "I'll be right back, just hold on."

Ben gets up and goes over to Hannah who is hovering over an unconscious Alice on the ground. Ben sees Alice on the ground and says under his breath. "Oh, dear God." He bends down to her and examines her as Hannah tells Ben, tearfully. "She's alive." Ben slowly lifts her head up and sees the blood on her forehead. He then looks up at Hannah and places his hand up to her face as he asks her. "Are you alright?" "Just a few scrapes and bruises, but I'm alright." She tells him. Ben then says to her. "Help me get her up." Hannah then helps Ben lift Alice up off the ground. "Careful now, careful." They gently lay her back against the wall. He then says to Hannah. "We need to find out who else is alive." Hannah then asks. "What about the men who.." "Yes." Ben then looks up at Hannah as he then says. "Even them." He then gets up as he tells Hannah. "Stay with her." Ben then starts searching for more survivors.

Joe and Candy return to Virginia City as they ride into town. Joe says to Candy. "I think I'll stop in town and pick up a few things before we head back." "I'll go with ya." Candy says. "There's something I want to get for Hannah." "Ah, smooth things over, huh?" Joe responds and then grins as Candy replies. "Just in case your idea doesn't work." Joe chuckles as he says. "Okay. Come on." They then ride in the direction of town.