"Let me at em hoss! Let me at those no good dirty rotten skunks!" She yelled at her love as she fought against his big arms.
He let out a low chuckle. "It wasn't all that bad. You got the pants."
He had currently just pulled his wife to be out of a store which she was fighting over a pair of jeans with. The no good Rachel Monroe decided after his ,lovely girl, Cieste, already claimed them. Rachel being the no good spoiled brat thought it would be cool to say she saw them first, even though everyone in Virginia city know she only wears the most valuable dresses in the world.
"Did you hear what that... That.....THING called me? She called me things no person in there right minds should hear!" Cieste exclaimed but slowly calming down.
"It's alright, love, you got the jeans. And I gurantee you'll look mighty purty in em too." Hoss told the woman in front of him as he slowly guided her onto her horse, Trigger.
"Yeah, I guess yer right there, Hoss. Oh, I don't even know why I get so fired up. I guess I get it from hangin out with ya Cartwrights."
Hoss just Grinned at her and mounted his own horse, Chub. As they tried to leave town Sherriff Roy Coffee came out in a whirlwind yelling out, "Miss Clemen!"
Cieste hauled her horse. Roy walked right up on next to her as Hoss turned to look and see what happened and stopped his horse too. "Yes, Roy? We were just headed back home."
"Excuse me ma'am to be holding you up. But a telegram was just sent in for you. It was of utmost emergency." Roy exclaimed handing her the letter. He had to reach a little higher up because of the height of her sturdy, young, white gelding.
"Thank you very much, Roy."
The Sheriff tipped his hat and walked back inside the jail.
"What's it say, Ci Ci?" Hoss asked referring to her childish nickname.
"I don't know, but it's from my auntie."
After a long pause Cieste looked up and put the note in her back with a monotonous expression. Hoss knew that look all to well. Something has happened and if she didn't put her mental shields up immediately she would break.
Hoss took immediate action and grabbed the reins of Trigger, as Cieste became rigid, and slowly walked out of Virginia City.
Before they knew it they were on the Ponderosa and Hoss had stopped at "their" spot. It was just under an oak on the side of the beautiful lake.
The couple had had many laughs when they came and he had hoped to cheer her up if only slightly. Even though he had yet to figure the matter.
Hoss unmounted and tied his horse up before doing the same with Cieste.
He made himself comfy leaning on a big rock and said, "All ears."
She sighed and looked out over the lake.
"Johnny and Wyatt were killed in a robbery gone wrong." She told him about her brothers. They had been closer than most families because they were always alone. Their Ma died of fever and Pa was a drunk. Every teacher to every bully they stood up for each other. Now Cieste isn't a what you would call lady like figure. She was a girl who would rather fish then dance who would nurse an animal back to health even if he was a runt. She wore a dress when absolutely necessary, but it was DEFINATELY not uncommon to see her around town in jeans, boots,t-shirt, hat and gun. Most people would hate this about any woman. But not her brothers and the Cartwrights.
When she was just a little thing her brothers protected her from anything harmful including their Pa. But it was the same the other way around. Every gun fight to every physical fight she was there right alongside them. They took care of each other and it was hard to move away without them. They were coming up in a few weeks with their new wives to be together again.
As a lonely tear went down her face she broke. This was the girl who was a fast gun and showed never an emotion until Hoss. She spun on her heels and dove into Hoss seeking his embrace which he didn't hesitate to give. She sobbed into his cowhide vest not even caring she was showing emotion. Hoss's arms were tucked securely around her waist and they weren't moving.
Soon she had tired and fell asleep against the man she had fallen for.
Hoss picked her up as if she were a flower and mounted his horse (with great difficulty) with her in his lap and one hand steering Chub and the other supporting Cieste. Trigger followed close behind not wanting to leave his master. They had a close bond no one seemed to understand.
As they neared the house Adam was leaning against the rail reading a book with Joe and Ben playing a game of horse shoes. The joyful chatter stopped immediately when they saw Hoss and the tear streaked face of his love.
"Hoss what happened?" Ben asked hastily dropping the horse shoe.
"Shh, Pa. She's asleep and I reckon this is the most sleep she'll be getting in a while. Wyatt and Johnny are dead. She just got a telegram."
Hoss handed Cieste to Adam as he dismounted.
Ben along with the boys visibly paled. "How?"
"Robbery gone wrong. I'll take her inside." Hoss once again took her into his arms. She shifted but only nuzzled closer into him.
He kicked the door open and walked up the creeking stair case before laying her down on her soft bed.
He walked out and back down the stairs.
Joe Adam and Ben were seated in their usual spots. "How'd she take it?" Adam asked looking carefully at his younger brother.
Hoss sat down at the couch before running his eyes. "I ain't gonna lie. It was purty bad. We were just headed outta town when Roy stopped us tellin Cieste a telegram came and was important. After she read it she kind of just froze. I led the horse on outta town and brought her down by the pond. Pa, I ain't never seen someone cry so hard in my entire life."
Ben sighed. "You did good taking her out of town, son. We both know she wouldn't of liked that to much." He said referring to her crying.
"I don't think this is going to be easy on her." Joe spoke softly.
"Yeah, I reckon not. They were good people. She loved em more than life itself." Hoss said sorrow soaked into his voice.
"But I ain't planning on leavin and I gurenteee none of y'all are leavin. We'll be there for her. Right?" Hoss finished.
"Definitely." Adam spoke more sure of this than anything in his life.
Dedicate to jgirl123cool
