Now that the first two chapters have been corrected and upgraded by Gaben (THANKS). They have been reposted. Hopefully they're better now.

Sara meets the Cartwrights

Sara's POV

It was pitch-black. The storm raged in the woods. Each raindrop felt like a needle which tried to pierce my skin and it was cold. I looked around. I could just see five meters afar, and then the landscape disappeared into the darkness. Suddenly a thunderbolt struck a tree near me.

I fell to the ground, pressing my hands hard on my ears.

"Oh please God! I just want some help."

FLASHBACK

One of my first memories is of a woman looking down on me. She's just watching me nothing more, and then she raises a hand and slaps me hard in the face.

"Give the apple back, you little thief." I turn around and try to run, but there was no escape. Men came and took me away to a court. The judge sent me to an orphanage. I had to work there and when I tried to escape they sent me to a workhouse; I never thought I would manage to flee from there, but finally I did.

Nobody cared for me and I cared for nobody. I stole what I needed to survive. When I was seven I stole my first gun. It was a colt. I don't know more about it just that I was able to shoot six times before I had to reload it. Having a weapon made me feel safer and things went a lot better. I was able to get away with stealing. Eventually I got caught again, this time by a sheriff, when I tried to run away from a store, where I had stolen meat and bread.

I was sent back to a workhouse, but soon escaped again. Since then I have lived this year on my own, travelling around the countryside doing odd jobs for food. Most of the time though, I stayed out of sight and stole what I needed, a coat, shoes, food and recently a nice new gun.

Earlier today I had been hungry and went to a farm house just off to the side of a road. Knocking on the door I asked the Farmer for some food, actually I begged. But the man had just chased me away. He did not scare me, so I just waited until night then paid him a visit.

I snuck into his house and started to gather up some fresh bread. But then a dog attacked me. I tried to shoot it and then started to run. The farmer chased me yelling and shooting away. My only place to hide was to run deeper into the forest.

And then the storm came.

END FLASHBACK

I stood up again. The fire which the thunderbolt had started had already been drowned by the rain, so I continued on my way blindly. I don't know how long I stumbled around in the forest, but it had been long enough for me. By midnight I was cold, hungry and frightened, although I didn't like to admit that.

After a few hours I spotted a small light between the trees. "Perhaps someone lived out here, or perhaps it was a gremlin who wanted to lead me deeper into the forest and then let me starve there."I shrugged and started to walk towards the light. It stayed on his place, so it couldn't be a gremlin. After a while I recognized a window from where the light was coming. I ran towards it.

When I came closer to the building I saw that it was a huge house. I looked around; the barn was so big, "Finally! Found a place to sleep." I whispered, and ran to the big double doors. But it was braced. Most people never locked barns in case of fire, but this one had been braced by a long heavy plank. "Damn! Must be to stop the wind from bustin' it open." It wasn't helpin' me none either. It was far too long and heavy for me to lift. I looked around and found a shovel. I grabbed it and started to dig a hole under the wall. The ground was muddy after all this rain, so it was pretty easy to dig a big hole under the bottom board. I crawled through the small tunnel and found myself inside. Sighing I stretched my back and looked around. A thunderbolt lightened the barn for a second. The haystack was right in front of me. Cheering I lowered myself into the hay and quickly fell asleep.

Next Morning

Adam, deciding to take his morning coffee on the veranda had just sat down, when he spotted the hole under the plinth board of the barn.

"Damned!"

"What is it?" Hoss asked.

"It looks like an animal has decided to hide in our barn until the storm is over. I bet it's a fox." He picked up his rifle.

"Hoss! Can you take a club and wait at the whole?"

"Sure, Adam, but don't be expectin' me ta club the poor thung, I'll jist chase it off."

"Fine, just get ready" Adam went to the barn, unbraced it and stepped inside. Quickly he slipped the bolt behind him, before the fox could escape. He heard something rustle in the large hay stack and ventured cautiously around it.

Quietly and slowly he sidled around the back of the stack. Suddenly he stopped stunned. Someone was lying there, it looked like a child. He lowered his rifle and walked forward to find a small girl lying asleep in the hay.

Adam looked at the child laying there, a satisfied smile on her lips, her brown, shoulder-length curly hair fell in her eyes. She was wearing tattered flap trousers and a shirt, which would had been white a long time ago. Now it looked like a composition of gray and brown. She was really thin and looked so fragile and angelic while she was sleeping.

"ADAM! Have ya found that critter yet?" Hoss yelled from outside, "If you haven't I'll go back inside, I'm hungry."

The little girls smile faded. She turned to the side and put her thumb in her mouth, but continued to sleep. Adam walked to the hole, bent down and looked through it, "Hoss! There's a little girl inside here. She's asleep."

"What the... A little girl? Are you sure?"

"I think I know the differences between a boy and a girl."

"That ain't what I meant, Though ya have been known ta get it wrong afore , remember that time ya….."

Hoss' It's a little kid, Okay!"

"Okay, So what ya gonna do?"

"Let her sleep and set a plate of food in front of her."

"HEY! What's going on out there?" Joe yelled out of the house.

"Be quiet!" Hoss hissed. "There's a girl inside the barn. She's sleeping."

Little Joe's eyes lit up, "A Girl, lemme see, is she pretty?"

"It's a youngin, Joe, a little girl, go get some food."

"Tell him to bring some food." Adam ordered Hoss.

"Great minds think alike big brother."

Within minutes Joe returned with a plate of food. He placed it in front of the small child and examined her. By this time Hoss had also come to observe their brothers find. Adam soon shooed the gawking pair back to the house, "You two get out of here before she wakes, you will scare the living daylights out of her."

Adam stayed in the barn. He sat down on the ground in front of her and started to study her. She was pretty small and petite. He guessed her age around six or seven years. She looked as if she had been dragged through a slime pit and smelled like it too.

The scent of the warm bacon and egg started to permeate around the barn. The girl started to move and licked her lips. Then she put her thumb into her mouth and curled herself up into a tight ball. Suddenly she opened one eye. Her bright green eyes expanded with the enormous yawn and stretch that followed. She rubbed at her eyes with her fists. Adam had to smile, she looked really cute.

Sara's POV

Still a bit dozy I looked around. I spotted a man sitting in front of me with a rifle resting next to him. Fear spread in through my whole body. I jumped to my feet and ran to the door.

It was locked. I could see the bolt up high and jumped to the pull chain that hung off it but could not reach it. Spinning around I looked to the hole; damn, the man was sitting right in front of it. There was no means of escape and I started to panic, not taking my eyes of the man or his gun.

"Calm down little girl, nobody is gonna harm you. I even brought you some food. Here." He lifted up the plate in front of him and presented it to me.

The man had a nice deep voice. It didn't sound angry, so I cautiously walked to him. My stomach growled when I smelled the food and made the man laugh.

"It seems that you're hungry," he smirked.

I stopped two yards in front of him. He must have understood my gesture, as he sighed then he stood up and walked over to the other side of the barn. I dived at the plate and started to plough the food into my mouth. I didn't care about chewing. I was so hungry.

"Slow down little girl or you'll get sick." The man warned me. I ignored him and continued eating. Soon it was all gone, so I licked the plate.

"Are you still hungry?" The man asked.

I nodded. He seemed to be kind, but perhaps he just wanted to lure me into a trap. It didn't make any difference, though, because if it was a trap I still had my gun, so for the moment I just enjoyed the taste of bacon and egg on my tongue.

"If you want more, you have to come inside." He went to the door and unlocked it. He was tall.

"Come here."

I shook my head. There was no way; I would get nearer than two yards to him. The man sighed again and headed for the house. I followed him and put my hand inside my shirt to check the gun and the knife. Both were there, calmed I followed him inside. I immediately smelled the flavour of fresh bread. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Do you like the smell?" The man asked grinning. I nodded again. I didn't want to talk too much to him.

"Do you want to come in?" He made an inviting gesture, bowing and swinging his arm pointing to a big table.

"Put the rifle away, then I'll come."

He placed it high upon a cupboard, by the door, "Come on then."

Now, I dared to go closer to him. I passed him and went directly to the table and grabbed some bacon. I saw two other two men, sitting there. One was pretty big, but he looked strong and friendly. He had blue eyes and dark-brown hair. The other one was skinny, had blue eyes and light brown hair. He looked more like the man who had found me.

The man who found me slapped my hand, which held the bacon.

"Don't you dare to touch me!" I growled and stepped back.

"First we have to say grace for the food. So put it back!"

"Why should I have to say grace? I don't believe in God. He has never helped me before, when I was starving."

"You don't believe in God?" The big man exclaimed.

I shook my head, "No."

"But what do ya believe in then?"

"In Satan." I replied with a dark voice.

"WHAT?" His eyes went wide, and I started to laugh.

"You fell for it! No truly, I really don't believe in God or anything else. I just believe in ME."

"And Who is me, may I ask?"

"Sara."

"Well, you still have to say grace with us, if you want more food."

"Okay. Dear God, who has never helped me before and let me starve for years. I'll thank you that you haven't forgotten me this day, as you did the last eight years." With these words I bit into the bacon.

"Hopeless." The tall dark man muttered; the one who had found me in the barn.

"I hafta admit she gotta a point Adam, looks her life must have been mighty hard." Said the biggest one.

"What do you mean with like you look? Does it mean that I don't look like a licked idiot?" I asked angrily eating on my third peace of bacon.

"You look skinny and dirty and you smell like a pig. That what he meant," Said the smallest one.

"Thanks, and you're a spoiled asshole, who has never starved, so why don't you just shut your mouth and thank your dear God instead!" I reached for some eggs and put them on my plate and continued eating.

The three men looked shocked.

"Apologise to Joe little girl or you can leave the house now!" The one they called Adam ordered with a stern voice.

"Sorry." I said not sounding the least bit sorry.

"That didn't sound like you really meant it, now did it?"

"You seem to be smarter than you look!" I spat back.

"That's it!" He stood up and tried to grab my arm.

I stepped back and reached inside my trousers, quickly pulled out my gun and pointed it at Adam.

"I told you not to touch me."

"I think she means business, Adam!" The big man said.

"Well, I think it's an empty threat, Hoss."

I pulled the trigger. The bullet pierced a whole in the floorboards right next to Adams foot.

"You're still thinking I'm making empty threats?" Suddenly a Chinese man appeared in the room. He held a rifle pointed at me.

"Drop it!" I yelled. This whole situation was starting to get out of control. Shaking I continued to point my gun at the Chinaman, "I told you to drop it Chink!"

"This girl crazy. Why Mista Adam let crazy girl inside?" The Chinaman said in a funny accent.

"Well, she seemed to be hungry and I wanted to give her some food." Adam replied and turned around.

"Stand still! I want to see your hands!" I yelled annoyed that they were talking. Most men were frightened when I pointed a gun at them, but these men? I think they thought it was funny!

Suddenly I heard someone moving I moved the gun over to Hoss and Joe. Now, Joe was aiming a gun at me.

"Drop it! You can't shoot two of us at once."

I was petrified. I moved the gun over to Adam again, then to the Chinese, and let it stop and pointed at Joe again.

"If you put the gun away, Sara, we can talk about it." Adam said.

"No, you will send me back to a workhouse or to an orphanage!"

"No we won't. I swear it. Okay?"

Slowly I lowered the gun and tucked it inside my trousers again.

"There you are, and now, please sit down so we can talk about this like civilized people." He sat down and looked at me.

"I'll prefer to stand."

"As you wish." We looked at each other up and down.

"Okay, what do you want from us, little girl?" asked Adam.

"Something to eat." I replied.

"Nothing more?"

"Some bullets?"

"Forget it!"

I glared at him; he wasn't impressed and just glared back.

"I'm thinkin' ya two should calm down a might and eat some more." Hoss said and offered me a glass of milk. I took it, still glaring at Adam.

"Drink your milk, child and stop glaring." He warned.

"That's it!" I tossed the glass at him, covering him in milk, then I grabbed the loaf of bread and ran for the door. Fortunately it wasn't locked. I was outside in less than a second.

I ran as quickly as I could. Adam stopped chasing me after some time and turned back towards the house.

Panting, I looked down at the bread. At least I had some food for tomorrow. I continued my walk until midday, and then I couldn't wait anymore. It wasn't smart but the smell of the bread was just delicious, so I sat down in the grass and started to eat it. Just as I finished I heard sound of horses coming. Frightened I looked around. There wasn't any cover. Just some tufts of grass and a small bush. I quickly lowered myself behind it and stayed quiet.

"Who do you think this little girl is, Adam?"

"No idea Joe. She looked like a runaway. Did you see how frightened she was when she talked about the orphanage?"

"Yeah. But, did you see how quick she was with that gun? She had some practice."

All of a sudden there was another noise. It sounded like a small rattle. Slowly I turned my head to the left. A rattlesnake was swaying his head from side to side; right in front of my left leg! I froze.

"Look there she is!" I heard Joe yell. I was too scared to reply.

"Why are you hiding from us?" Joe asked. He didn't see the snake.

I ignored his question.

"Hey? I'm talking to you."

As he stepped closer to me, the snake drew its head back. I knew what was coming next. It would bite. I tried to crawl away but a stinging pain in my left calf stopped me. I grabbed my knife, spun around and cut the snake in half.

"ADAM! SHE GOT BITTEN BY A RATTLESNAKE!" Joe drew his knife and cut up my trousers, where the snake had bit me.

"Hold still now, because this will hurt." He made a deep cut with his knife.

"OW! GOD DAMN HELL JESSH!" He opened the cut with two fingers and poured some water on it.

"It will get better soon. Trust me. I just have to open it a bit more."

Joe pressed his knife against the wound again and made the gash deeper. I dragged my leg away. Adam had reached us by now. He grabbed me and flipped me over to my stomach, then held my leg still while Joe made a second cut just next to the other one. I cried out in pain.

"Soon it will be all over." Joe soothed and poured more water over the wounds.

"We have to ligate it, Joe," said Adam, "If there's some poison left it will spread in her body."

Joe unbuckled his belt and pulled it tight around my leg just above the wounds. Adam released my leg but lifted me up by the back of my clothes and deposited me across the back of his horse. The gun and the knife fell out of my clothes. He picked them up and stashed them in the saddlebags. Then he climbed up in the saddle himself and put a hand on my back so I wasn't able to wriggle away.

"Joe, can you deal with the cattle? I'll take this little runaway home."

"Sure." Joe replied and continued on his way.

Adam turned his horse and started to ride in the opposite direction.

"LET ME GO! I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR HELP, YOU BASTARD!"

His answer was a hard swat to my behind, "You'll better be quiet!" He growled.

As the shock of the snakebite started to wear off, my temper showed itself once again, "I told you to LET ME GO!"

He didn't answer. That really made me angry. I started kicking and wriggling to get off his horse. He landed another three smacks on my behind. That really hurt! I'd never gotten spanked before.

"Will you hold still now?" he growled.

I bit him in the leg, but didn't get a good hold with my teeth.

"Sara, do you seriously want a spanking?" He asked smacking me a few more times.

I squealed and kicked my good leg out. This time Adam pulled up his horse.

Tapping on my bottom, he said, "Let us set up a new rule, shall we. For each cuss word or sass you yell at me, you're gonna receive one smack and for each bite, kick, punch or whatever you're able to do else to me you'll receive ten. And If I have to stop my horse one more time before we get back to the Ponderosa, I will find the nearest log and put you across my knee and wallop your bare backside till your teeth rattle, snake bite or not. "

"Are you crazy?"

"Three words three swats." He replied and landed them on my already sore bottom.

I saw red. How did he dare threat me like a small child? "YOU'VE GOT NOTHING TO SAY TO ME! YOU'RE JUST AN IDIOTIC STRANGER WHO LIKES TO HIT KIDS! I'M GONNA KILL YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH IF YOU DON'T LET ME GO NOW!"

"Those were many words." He simply replied and repeated the sentence to himself as he counted them. Before he could start smacking me we arrived at the ranch. He rode into the stable, dismounted and lifted me of the horse before I could run away.

"You won't run away from me, while I'm taking care of my horse or I'll take a belt to your hide when I catch you, clear?"

I poked my tongue out at him. He didn't take any notice and started to take care of the horse instead.

Of course I tried to run. As soon as he had turned his back to me I spun around and limped away. Unfortunately he caught me before I'd taken no more than ten steps. He had expected it; he knew I wouldn't be able to get very far with a sore leg. Too bad I forgot about that.

"LET ME GO!" I struggled to get out of his grip.

"Sara, I told you what would happen." He carried me outside, propped his foot up on the chopping block, and placed me across his knee. My attempts to escape increased but a firm hand on my waist kept me in place. With a resolute smack his hand landed on my backside. The swat caused tears to fill my eyes; he hadn't hit me that hard before. The second one landed just as hard and on the same spot and I started to cry. He gave me about ten swats, but it felt more like a hundred. I couldn't count only yelp and cry. He stood me up again, and I hopped and rubbed and cried. I wanted to hit him back but I couldn't do four things at once.

Adam looked down at me and crouched down. I think he was feeling sorry that he had spanked me now, because he spoke softly, "Will you let me help you now?"

He wasn't feeling a sorry as me though, so I added a nodding head to my hopping and rubbing and sobbing!

Adam lifted me up and carried a still crying me into the big house.

A few minutes later

Adam had put the small sobbing child on the bed in the guest room. "You're gonna stay here until I get back. I need to go and get some bandages."

The child nodded again.

"The correct answer is yes sir."

"Yes sss...sir." Sara replied mildly hiccupping.

Adam left. This punishment had sure made an impression on her. He found the bandages and headed to the guest room upstairs. Just as he entered the room he saw the girl trying to climb out of the window.

Adam rubbed a hand over his face then ran his fingers through his hair, "Stop right there!" She didn't. He dropped the bandages on the bed and reached for her. Adam managed to grab the back of Sara's britches and hauled her back into the room. However, her thread bare pants combined with the rip Joe had already made while tending her wound, ripped further and completely came off leaving Adam holding nothing but the rag in his hands. Her undergarments were in just as bad a shape; with their seat practically worn though, bearing holes as big as dinner plates. The child fell landing at Adams feet now practically buck naked from the waist down

"Just as well, you need a wash and your wound cleaned properly, so you won't be needing these." He threw the ripped clothes in the corner and bent down to pick up the child.

Sara panicked; she remembered what the Adam man has said he would do to her if she tried to run away again, "You can't spank me. I'm not your child!" She kicked out with her bare legs.

"Stop that! You going to open that wound further, now keep still, or I will smack that bare backside of yours."

"Jist let me go, I don't want ya help," she yelled, slapping now at the hands that tried to pick her up.

Adam ignored her arguments and picked her up by the waist, at just over six foot she was no match for the strong arms, well so most would think. But, eight year old frighten little girls have teeth, and this one used them to latch onto the large arm that held her firmly.

"Ahhhhh, look I know your freightened, ahhhh, let go!" Adam sat on the bed, but not loosening his grip, despite the pain invading his forearm, and put her across his knees again. With his pain free and moveable arm he applied a quick sharp slap to her bare backside.

The child immediately removed her teeth, but only so she could add the rebuke she decided that smack and her assailant deserved. "BASTARD!"

Adam could not believe it. Not more than ten minutes ago this little girl was contrite. He had never seen such a stubborn child; even after a good spanking she was still being cheeky.

This time he made sure that Sara got the message. He smacked her backside another five times with quick and sharp precision. By the time he was finished her little pink bottom was now a little redder and she was bawling like a baby. He sat her down on the bed, "Now. I'm going to wash this wound and re-bandage it, so it won't get infected and you are going to let me do it."

Going to the wash basin, Adam soaked a cloth and bought it back, washing the wound and the entire leg before bandaging it. She was still sobbing when he was finished. He stood up and went to go out of the room but she looked so pitiful that he couldn't. He went back to her and sat down on the bed again. He lifted her up causing her to cry harder.

"Nooooo, pleeeeaaaase! I'm sooooory!"

"Shhh, I'm not gonna spank you again." Adam sat her down on his lap and cuddled her. She stiffened a bit but relaxed soon and snuggled deeper into his embrace.

It took her a while until she got her breathing under control again. But finally she was only sniffling.

"Feeling better now?"

He felt the nod against his chest.

"Do you want something to eat or drink?"

She shook her head no.

"Do you wanna sleep?"

She nodded again.

"If you want to sleep you have to strip of the rest of these dirty clothes and have a quick wash. I'll give you one of my shirts."

Adam stood up and lowered her carefully down on the bed. Sara immediately hopped to her good leg. He had to smile.

"I'll go and get the shirt and don't run away." He warned.

"I won't." She replied voice still unsteady from crying. He crouched down in front of her.

"I spanked you because you wanted to run away Sara. You've got bitten by a rattlesnake, that's dangerous and I want to help you to make you well again, nothing more. Okay?"

"Yes sir."

"Good." He stood up and left the room.

Sara's POV

I waited for Adam to come back. The idea of escaping had disappeared out of my head. My butt felt like it was on fire, but the cuddle afterwards... no one had hugged me ever before. It had felt so good; so warm and safe.

He came back after a few seconds and handed me a shirt. He helped me wash my face and other dirty leg, then patiently he waited as I changed my cloth, and help me put on his shirt. It was too big. It nearly went down to my ankles but it didn't feel tight on my rear, for what I was really grateful.

I looked up in his eyes. He didn't seem to be angry any more. I nervously shifted my weight from foot to foot. I really wanted another hug, but I didn't want to ask, because I thought it might offend him or go against a rule. I didn't know. He just continued looking at me. I looked back and tried to form my question. He made a step closer to me and I gave a little start. He had moved so abruptly. Suddenly he looked a bit sad; he turned around and started to walk to the door.

"If you want something just call for me, I'll bring it to you."

"Adam?"

"Yes Sara?"

"I...I..."

He came closer again.

"Can you give me another hug?" I whispered, nervously twisting my fingers. Tears came to my eyes. Why did I ask this stupid question? Now he would surely send me away. A fresh set of tears started to build up in the wells of my eyes.

He didn't answer; instead he picked me up, supporting my butt with one arm, rubbing circles on my back with the other and gently rocking me from side to side.

I started to cry, not that the hug was bad, it was heavenly but no one had been so kind to me.

"Shhh. Everything's alright. Shhh." Adam sat down on the bed placing me on his lap.

"Come on now it wasn't so bad was it?" He asked with a smile.

I too smiled as I wiped my eyes with the sleeve of his big shirt.

"No. It was the first time someone hugged me. I didn't know that it felt so good." I responded quietly.

"Do you wanna come down a bit; I'm sure Hop sing will make you something to eat."

"I... I just want... Can you stay here? I mean if it's okay? If it's bother you, you can go." I added quickly, not wanting to sound like a small child.

He chuckled.

"It doesn't bother me. I'm happy about staying here with you." He placed a kiss on my forehead and cradled me.

A few quiet moments later

Adam could feel Sara starting to relax in his arms. Poor little thing. He thought. He understood that she had been frighten, but she was tough and an angry little critter. Adam felt somewhat guilty that he had had to smack her to get her to behave enough so he could treat her wounds. But it had worked, and now the child looked like an angel. There were other methods to sooth the beast he thought and started to hum softly as he patted and rocked Sara. Once asleep he carefully laid the little girl down in the bed and tucked her in with the blanket. He went to get a chair then placed it next to the bed and watched her.

Sara had put her thumb in her mouth again. She was small for her age but now she looked more like a toddler. The distant sound of thunder warned that another storm was coming. Sara winced at the sound. Adam stroked her hair and she calmed down once again.

Adam sat there until he felt that he was going to fall asleep. He stood up and headed for his own bedroom, leaving Sara alone with her dreams. By the time he crawled into bed the storm had reached the ranch. Thunderbolts lit the night sky for a second before it went dark again. Now he wouldn't be able to sleep, instead he thought about Sara. A little girl alone and lost. He couldn't help but care for her. He already cared for her. Yes she was wild and had no respect for authority but he cared for her. When he had seen her bitten by the snake, he had felt his heart contract. She looked angelic when she was sleeping. When he had cuddled her it had felt right, as if she was his child and not a stranger. Perhaps he could take care of her. With this thought he finally fell asleep.

However, Adam wasn't able to sleep for very long; he woke up with a strange feeling. He stood up and headed for the guestroom, and heard a whimper. As he entered the room he immediately spotted Sara sitting on the bed, pressing herself against the bed head. She steadied her chin on her knees and had the blanket tightly wrapped around her. A loud clap of thunder shook the whole house. Sara whimpered again and hid herself under the blanket. He went over to her bed and sat down.

"Can't you sleep?" He asked.

Sara peered around warily, then immediately crawled over to him. Adam picked her up and placed her on his lap. Soothingly he stroked her hair and rubbed her back.

"Are you afraid of thunder?"

She nodded.

"Why?"

"Once when I was smaller, a wolf tried to attack me during a thunderstorm. I shoot it, but since then I'm scared."

"No wolf can attack you here, Sara, he'd have to take down me first."

"You would do that for me?" She asked, snuggling deeper into his lap.

He nodded.

"Would you like me to stay here?"

This time Sara nodded.

Adam laid down on the bed, placing the child, crooked and secure under his arm, next to him. Soon she was asleep again. He looked at her; this little girl had managed to touch his heart within a few hours, yet could make him livid in the same time.

Sara's POV

I woke up early next morning. Adam was still sleeping next to me. Carefully not to wake him up I stood up and looked for my clothes. They were gone. I gave a shrug and headed down. My calf hurt a bit but I barely felt it.

I heard someone working in the kitchen and became curious. I tiptoed over to the open door. The Chinese man, Hop sing, was working the kitchen. It smelled delicious.

"Good morning little girl." He said without looking at me. A little squeal escaped my lips, how had he sensed me?

"Good morning." I replied slowly and walked into the kitchen.

The scent of bacon sizzling in a large pan attracted my attention. I reached for a piece, but quickly withdrew my hand when Hop sing smacked it with a wooden spoon.

"OWCH!" I rubbed at the sting and gave him an angry glare. "Why did you do that for chink?"

"Family eats breakfast together and it's vely lude to call someone chink."

"Don't care."

"Little girl needs to learn how to behave and needs to learn lespect!" He scolded.

"Little girl is vely lude and needs to learn lespect." I mocked him.

"Out of my kitchen!" He yelled.

"Learn to talk before you try to scold someone Chink." I replied and turned around to run. But ran smack bang into Adam, who was standing in my way, looking angrily down at me. I quickly put both my hands back to protect my backside. After yesterday I really didn't wanted to feel his hand again.

"Hop sing is a member of this family, Sara and you will show him respect. Now apologize!"

"No. He didn't want to give me anything to eat."

"He's not a servant, Sara. He's a member of this family. Apologize now!"

"Sorry for calling you chink." I said sullenly. A firm hand grabbed the back of the shirt I was wearing and lifted me up.

"Seems we two have to discuss this." He said and carried me upstairs and into the guestroom. With a smack on my bottom he stood me in the corner. "Think about what you just said, and why it was so disrespectful."

I rubbed at the sting trying to get some relief. Adam went out of the room and left me standing looking at two empty walls.

Just as I started to think about moving over to the bed Adam returned. He sat down on the bed and called me over to him.

"Why?" He simply asked.

"What why?"

"Why did you call Hop Sing this word? It was very disrespectful."

"I..." I stopped. Adam's eyebrows narrowed.

"You'd better have a good answer, Sara."

"Hop sing provoked me; he hit me with his spoon."

His eyebrows narrowed more. Uh-uh that was obviously the wrong answer.

"Why did he do that?"

"I wanted some bacon."

"We normally eat breakfast together and you can't just take something that hasn't been offered. That's just plain manners, some might say it was stealing and I won't tolerate such things. And calling him a chink and mocking his accent is very rude and disrespectful."

"But I..." I lost the point. He made it sound as if everything was my fault. Okay perhaps it was, but that isn't the point. The point is how I could get out of this situation with an intact hide. Suddenly Adam reached out for me, lifted me up and dropped me facedown over his lap. There went my chance to get out of this without a spanking.

"You can't. You already spanked me yesterday! FOUR TIMES!"

"Well lets see if we can keep it to a minimum of one today shall we. Believe me I didn't expect to have to do this again young lady." He replied, then lifted the shirt. As I felt the cool air hit my rear, I remembered he'd thrown out my torn clothes and I started to struggle wildly, recalling what Adam's hard hand felt on my bare bottom.

"No, No, No, No, No!" I yelled and kicked.

"Stop it!" He ordered sternly.

"No! Only if you let me go."

"Not happening, Sara." The first swat landed.

Meanwhile outside

Joe walked from the barn and winced when he heard the smacking sound coming through the upstairs window, followed by the girl's pleas and apologies.

He sighed. How had she managed to make Adam angry again? In just two days she had received five spankings from his older brother.

He went into the kitchen and saw Hop Sing tersely dishing up breakfast, and marching backwards and forwards to the dining room.

"What's wrong Hop Sing?" Asked Joe.

"Little girl was vely rude, try to take food without allowance. Then little call me names, call me chink and mocked me because of my accent."

"Adam's dealing with her now Hop Sing. I bet she won't do it again too soon."

He sat down at the table and started a conversation with Hoss.

"Do you think Adam will keep the girl?" He asked.

"Why do ya think that, little Joe?"

"He likes her don't you see it?"

"Of course he likes her. She's sweet. I like her too, don't you?"

"Yeah, I like her, and that's what concerns me. I have only known her one day and she had pointed a gun at me. But I like her."

"She sure has spunk don't she?" laughed Hoss.

Adam appeared at the top of the stairs holding a crying Sara.

As he got to the bottom of the stairs, he ordered, "Go and apologize now." then sat her down on her feet and nudged her forward.

Sara walked over to Hop Sing keeping her eyes dropped to the floor. "I'm... so-sorry for saying me…mean things. I... I... I don't know why I d-did it."

"Apology accepted little girl." Hop Sing bowed.

Sara turned around and fled into Adam's arms. He picked her up and started to rub soothing circles on her back. "Shhhh. Good girl, it's alright. Shhhhh."

Adam took his preferred seat at the big table and sat a still upset Sara on his lap.

Joe nudged Hoss in the ribs, "You have to admit, they sure look sweet, Hoss."

Adam glared at Joe, while he continued to comfort Sara. The child had now buried her face in his clothes and had thrown her arms around his neck.

They all waited until Sara had calmed down. As she had herself under control again she looked around, but when she realized that everyone was looking at her, she blushed and buried her face once again in Adam's clothes.

"Come on now. You don't have to be ashamed." Adam gently released himself out of her grip.

Hop sing put some food on a plate and handed it to Sara. She took it and mumbled, "thank you" then started to eat.

Sara's POV

Breakfast was a bit uncomfortable, but at least Adam let me sit on his lap the whole time. After the breakfast Joe helped Hop Sing clear the table. Adam took me to the big room and sat me down in a big red armchair. He stripped of the bandage of my leg and started checking the two cuts. They were a bit red and slightly swollen but didn't hurt bad.

"How does it feel?" asked Adam, as he pressed slightly around the edge of the wound.

"It doesn't hurt at all and I feel alright."

"Good." He stood up again and sat down in an armchair in front of me. I looked nervously up at him. He was just watching me.

"What? Why are you looking at me?"

"I want to say that I would prefer it if you would stay here until these wounds have healed properly."

"Oh." I hadn't expected that. I thought he wanted to send me to an orphanage or something.

"Is that alright with you?" He asked.

I eyed him suspiciously. I didn't think he had some evil plan, or that he was a bad man, well apart from the fact that he had blistered my butt a hundred times in two days. But I liked sort of liked him. And he and Joe fixed me leg. He had been so kind to me and still was.

"Well?" He asked impatiently.

"I'd like to stay here."

"Good." He seemed to be relieved.

"Let's get you cleaned and then we can head over to Virginia City and buy you some clothes."

Too stunned to move I just kept sitting in the chair. It had to be a dream; no person could be so kind.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, yes. Sure I am." I replied quickly.

Adam helped me to stand up and ushered me out of the house to the bathhouse. A tub filled with warm water was already waiting for me. I quickly stripped of the shirt and lowered myself into the water. Slowly I let out a deep-drawn sigh. It was wonderful. He helped me to wash my hair. Afterwards he wrapped into a big, warm, fluffy towel and started rub me dry. He was so... so caring. I don't ever remember my parents looking after me. I guessed this is what it may have been like. The adults at the orphanage had lots of children to bath, most of the time they didn't care if you were dry or not. At the workhouse, they didn't even care if you were clean!

When I had dried he handed me some old clothes.

"You will have to wear some of Joe's old clothes, he found them in the attic, yours were ruined. I'm sorry, they're not quite your size, but we will get you some new ones, some dresses maybe? "

"Why do you apologize? I feel comfortable in pants. Well, they do look better than my old rags." I admitted with a smile. He returned it and stroked my hair.

"Come on then. We two have a long day."

The mercantile was a challenge. I just wanted some flap trousers and white or black shirts, but Adam wanted to buy me nothing but dresses. So we had some kind of an argument in the store. He kept pestering me to try them on. I got a bit cheeky, or perhaps very cheeky, but before I could throw a tantrum he gave me a few swats, which stopped me in my tracks, reigniting my burning butt.

The store owner, Mr. Potter, had to laugh at this sight, "Where did you pick up this little rascal Adam?"

"I found her in the barn, but she ran away after she had some breakfast. Joe and I found her after she had got bitten by a snake. So we will be taking care of her until we're sure she's healthy again."

"She's a handful, isn't she?"

Adam looked down at me, "Yes, but we have our good moments too."

"Can I go out now?" I whined. It was really boring, listening to them.

"You can, but stay near. We're heading home soon."

"Yes sir." I saluted and he gave me playful smack as I passed him to get out of the store.

"And don't get into trouble!" He called as I already left the building.

I didn't reply and just looked around as I got out of the store. Some men were unloading a wagon, but I didn't see any other children. Walking to the edge of the veranda, I peered around the corner and spotted a huge, long-haired, black dog. It was much bigger than the wolf, which had attacked me. It looked at up and started to plod towards me. Fear started to spread in my body. I stumbled backwards. The dog picked up his pace. Suddenly it jumped against me.

I fell on my back. The hound pressed his paws against my shoulders and lowered his giant mouth towards my face.

I screamed.

Inside the store

Adam heard a scream and then the sound abruptly was cut off. He ran out of the store and spotted Sara struggling under the siege of a huge black dog. He drew his gun and sprinted towards her, stopping dead in his tracks when he suddenly heard the child start to laugh.

"STOP IT!" The girl giggled, "Stop it! I've just taken a bath this morning."

Adam circled the strange pair and saw the dog licking Sara's face.

"Adam! Help me! He won't get off!" She laughed, aware of Adams presence. The dog barked at her coltishly and continued licking her.

"Sure." He grabbed the dog by the neck and pushed it from her. It spun around and started to push him instead. Adam raised his hand, "Stop it!" He ordered sternly and the dog miraculously stopped. "Whose dog is this?" He shouted angrily. One of the men who were unloading a wagon came over to them. "Is this your hound?" Adam was furious by now, what if the dog hadn't been so kind. What if he had bitten Sara or even killed her.

"No, he appeared in town a few days ago. Some kids have fed him, but no one's able to take care of him. He's kind to the children; that's why we didn't shoot it."

"Oh, okay." Adam's anger started to dissipate.

"Adam?" He looked down to find Sara plucking his sleeve.

"Yes?"

"Can I take him with me?"

"I thought you were afraid of dogs?"

"Not of him. He's kind." She stepped over to the hound whose shoulder height nearly reached her ribcage and hugged him. Happy about the attention the dog tried to lick her face again. Laughing she tried to push him away.

"What do you say?" Sara asked her arms wrapped around the dog's neck.

"Alright."

"Yippeee." Cheering Sara let the dog go and hugged Adam instead. Smiling he tussled her hair.

"What do you want to call him?"

Sara furrowed her brows and put a finger against her lips, while she was thinking.

"Black Knight!" She exclaimed and the dog barked.

"You see? He likes it."

"Why night?"

"Not night. Knight like a chevalier." She explained gesticulating with her hands.

Adam smiled, she pronounced 'chevalier' like a true thespian. Real cute, a kid after his own heart, "I got it Sara."

The little girl happily returned her attention to the big dog.

Adam tapped her shoulder to gain it again. "I'll be right back. I just have to pay for your clothes."

"Okay."

Sara hugged the dog again. As Adam returned to her she was wrestling with Black Knight. The dog had just pinned her to the ground and started a licking assault, while a laughing Sara tried to get out of his grip.

"Stop playing now. You'll have plenty of time, when we're back to the Ponderosa."

Sara's POV

As soon as we were back, I jumped down from the wagon with the dog. Black Knight was just irresistible.

"Sara!" called Adam.

Sighing, I turned around to Adam, "What?"

"Young lady, you need to help me unload the wagon."

"Why can't you do it? I want to play with Black Knight."

"Sara." He warned.

Groaning, I stepped over to the wagon took the bags with the clothes and headed for my room.

"Come, Black Knight!" I called him. When I opened the door he raced inside.

"No, Sara!" I heard Adam yell.

"What is it now?" I turned around to him, just as I heard a loud scream.

"Aaaah! Help! Big dog is attacking me!"

It was Hop sing. I dropped the bags and ran inside. Adam stumbled over the clothes and fell on the ground.

"Sorry!" I yelled without turning around. I could hear Black Knight barking, "Come here Black Knight! Come here!"

The dog was led out of the kitchen by a very pale Hop sing.

"Is little misses, dog?" asked an angry Hop Sing.

I nodded. "I'm sorry, if he scared you." I said.

Hop Sing looked down at me, "No worry little girl. Dog was very kind. Scared me only in the first moment, but keep him out of kitchen, or little girl and big dog not be vely happy. Mista Hoss not be vely happy if dog eat big boys dinner. You understand"

"Yes sir."

Black Knight had left my side again and was exploring the house.

"SARA!"

I gave a little start. Adam's big voice could be very scary, especially if he was angry.

"Black Knight!" I quickly called. He came to me again. I turned around. An angry Adam was looking down at me.

"He's supposed to stay outside."

"Why? He's clean..." My voice trailed off as I saw the paw prints on the rug.

"If you want him to come inside you have to brush off his paws."

I headed for the door. As I passed him he tapped my head. I looked up.

"You're gonna clean it."

"That will take forever and besides it was already dirty."

"I won't tell you twice."

"Yes sir." I grumbled and headed outside.

Carefully I brushed of Black Knights paws; afterwards I grabbed the bags with my clothes and headed for my room. Black Knight just ahead of me.

As soon as I had unpacked my clothes I went down to clean the rug. It took some time but finally I was finished and Adam came to inspect it. He was satisfied with my work and allowed me to go outside.

Two weeks later. Sara's POV

It took two weeks for the wounds to heal but they never got infected. Late one afternoon, Adam took me up to the guestroom. He sat down on the bed and took my hands in his.

"What is it?" I asked nervously. I had let Black Knight sleep in my bed for the last week, although Adam had forbid it. He couldn't be enough angry to put me across his knees, could he?

"I want to ask you something."

Before he could get any further, I interrupted, "I'm sorry for letting Black Knight sleep in my bed, but he is so warm and I feel so safe together with him. It's almost like when I'm together with you and besides I always brushed away his hairs, which he lost and I did behave, apart from pouring water in your shoes, for which I'm really, really sorry. Okay, I'm not really sorry, it was funny, but I'm sorry for letting Black Knight sleeping in my bed. You have to believe me and please don't spank me."

Adam looked totally confused and then a smile crossed his face, "No, it's not that. I already know that he has been sleeping in your bed."

"Really?"

"Well, it was pretty obvious."

"Oh. So you're not angry then?"

He shook his head and I let out a sigh of relief.

"But I wanted to ask you something else, so please listen to me carefully and really think about what I am going to say and ask you. I could give you a home, a bed and food. I would like you to stay here and I want to adopt you, Sara. If you don't want to, you don't have to, I will try and find you another family if you want, but I would really like you to stay and become part of our family."

I just looked up at him. In the last two weeks he had become more the father figure to me than anyone else in my entire life. In didn't know what to say, I was so happy that I nearly started to cry.

Adam, misunderstood my tears, and his eyes became sad, "I'm Sorry, Sara. I thought you liked being here." He apologized and started to stand up.

I flung myself into his chest and wrapped my arms tightly around him, "I want. I want to stay here. Please don't send me away." I cried. I feared that he had gotten angry because of my hesitation. Suddenly he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a strong embrace.

We remained so for a long time just enjoying the comfort of each other.

"You don't know how much I hoped, that you would say yes." He whispered in my ear.

"I hoped you would want to keep me." I whispered back.

He lifted me up and sat me down on his lap.

"Supper is ready!" Hop Sing called. Black Knight added his own announcement, barking from downstairs.

"Nothing for you Black Knight. Your food's coming soon." We heard Hop Sing scold him. We both had to chuckle. The dog always begged for food from Hop Sing.

"Shall we go downstairs and get some food?" I asked him.

He nodded and sat me on my feet again. Adjacent he stood up and took my hand in his. I squeezed it and he returned the squeeze smiling down on me.

"My Little Lady?" he pronounced, then bowed.

"Finally." I sighed.

"Did you say something?" Adam asked.

"No." I quickly shook my head. He shrugged his shoulders and we continued our way down.

Finally I had a father... a family.

TBC.

As always... Please review!