All recognizable characters, setting, etc. are the property of their respective owners. All original character and plots are the property of the author. No copyright infringement is intended.

New Reporter in Town

Alissa has become quite bored and it can only mean trouble as she drags her best friend along for the ride as they investigate some recent robberies.

Alissa moved the statue of the bronze horse and dusted underneath as she mumbled to herself, "This is what I am destined to do with my life now… dust, clean and help Hop Sing with the laundry! This sure isn't what I envisioned for my life when I was in school. I was going to be a crack reporter that broke the big story and all the networks would want my scoop!"

Ali let out a heavy sigh as she headed for Ben's desk to attack the dust that had accumulated since her last cleaning.

"Now the only story I could break would be what Hop Sing is having for dinner."

Slowly moving over to the window by Ben's desk Ali peered out at a ranch hand coming out of the barn. She watched him cross over to his horse, mount up and ride away. As she turned and came over to Ben's desk, a frown slowly formed on her face as she commented dryly, "Well, that used up about two seconds. What fun things shall I do next?"

Ali shrugged and started dusting Ben's desk rather lazily till her eyes spotted the Virginia City Gazette lying across the corner of his desk.

"Let's just see what interesting things are happening in the big city," she quipped, as she sat back in Ben's chair and scanned page one.

"Hmm…the price of beef has gone up...that's good for the Cartwrights. Miss Sally Johnson will probably win the quilting bee again this year. Way to go Sally! Old Jeb's bull got out again last week and did some damage to farmer McIntire's cornfield. Way to go bullie! Sorry, farmer McIntire, I am sure you didn't think it was funny, but it just makes me laugh when I imagine a bull running through a cornfield with a farmer chasing him."

Ali grinned and brushed a lock of hair off of her face as she turned the page looking for more riveting news.

"Ginny Mae Johnson's hens have been having trouble laying ever since the Murphy twins lit off some fireworks by her hen house. Yeah, that might put a kink in the old works…sure would put the hens off for a while," she giggled, as she turned to the last page.

"Good grief, the excitement in town is really more than I think I can handle," she commented dryly as she rolled her eyes.

"Here I thought it was boring for me at the house when Adam is out on the ranch working, but the most excitement I could find in town this week might be watching Ginny Mae chase the Murphy twins through town with a broom!"

Letting out a rather loud sigh, Ali continued reading as she slowly moved down the page. She was just about to give up on finding anything worthwhile until she came across a news article that peeked her interest. Leaning forward slightly Ali started concentrating on the article.

"Well, this looks interesting," she noted excitedly, as she folded the paper in half and focused on the article. Moving around until she got more comfortable in Ben's large chair, Ali tucked her feet under her and sat back as she read the article out loud.

"A rash of recent robberies have left Sheriff Coffee and his deputy baffled. Local town folk have reported having items taken from their homes and barns. Even the Bucket of Blood reported having glasses and bottles of liquor missing. Hmm, I guess the robbers like to drink too!" Ali grinned, and continued to read the article.

"Sheriff Coffee is at a loss as the robber or robbers have not left any clues."

Ali set the paper down as a sly look came across her beautiful face, and a devilish twinkle appeared in her bright green eyes as she started to carefully form a plan about what her new job might be. I think getting a job on the newspaper is just what I need to help liven up my days. After all, I was a journalism student so it is right up my alley. I bet I could uncover what is going on…and get a good story to boot! And who knows she smiled, I may even fine something to help with my boredom! But then the smile was quickly replaced with a frown as she picked up her feather duster.

"Now all I have to do is convince Adam and Ben that I need a job to keep me busy," she muttered, as she ran the feathers from her duster across her hand.

Ali eventually stood up and resumed dusting Ben's desk as she continued talking to herself while straightening some of Ben's papers.

"Of course convincing those two stubborn men will be like trying to move this house…I doubt that they will budge at all on this issue and neither will this house!"

Ali wrinkled her nose, "I guess I am going to have to give this idea some thought on just how I will get a job on the paper and how I can get around Ben and Adam—especially Adam! He is very opinionated in what he thinks a proper woman should and shouldn't do."

Rather annoyed at that thought, Ali kept dusting the desk as she continued to talk to herself.

"I am sure he will be even more stubborn in his opinion on what his fiancée can do. And working at the newspaper in town is probably not on his list of things for a proper lady and a future Cartwright to be doing."

Ali started to giggle when she thought of her stubborn man.

"What is it that Little Joe always calls Adam when they get into an argument…oh yeah…Yankee granite head! He is definitely one stubborn man! But I know how to get around him," she said confidently, as she lifted her chin slightly.

Walking over to the table by the fireplace, Ali started taking out her frustrations as she dusted every inch of the table with the feather duster.

"Those two are a force to be reckoned with and this isn't going to be easy, but I am up for the challenge," she declared enthusiastically, as she held her feather duster high in the air like a sword.

"What, missy, say?"

Hop Sing had come into the room and was watching Ali with a worried look on his face as she held her duster in the air.

Ali blushed when she realized she had an audience. "Oh nothing, Hop Sing."

Hop Sing shrugged his shoulders and turned heading for the kitchen. "Missy say crazy things all time!"

"I know, Hop Sing, I know," Ali laughed, as she moved some things around on the large table and continued with her dusting, all the while planning on how to set the wheels in motion for her new job.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Sunday was a beautiful summer day and everyone was enjoying the church picnic. The members of the church finance committee had auctioned off the ladies' picnic baskets to get money to buy a new church bell. The one the church had was adequate, but not very loud. The parishioners wanted this new bell because it was louder and had the most beautiful sound to it. The preacher had announced that they were half way to the amount they needed with the proceeds from today's auction, and the church fair coming up next month might just be what they needed to fulfill their dream.

Of course Adam had outbid everyone that had bid on Alissa's basket. Deciding ahead of time that he wasn't going to let anyone else enjoy her company, he had bid the most of anyone here today. She had several men bidding on her basket, but when Adam decided he had waited long enough, he bid $15.00 and the bidding immediately stopped.

After Adam collected Alissa's basket they walked hand in hand over to a large tree to enjoy their picnic lunch. As Adam spread out their blanket Ali casually commented, "Adam, you really shouldn't have bid so much money for my basket!"

As he straightened the blanket Adam couldn't help but shrug his shoulders and smile, "It was for a good cause and I got tired of the bidding and decided I needed to put a stop to it."

Giving Ali one of his dazzling grins Adam quipped, "Besides, no one is going to eat a picnic lunch with my girl—but me!"

Ali smiled happily as she sat down on the quilt under the large old tree and proceeded to remove food from the picnic basket. Adam slowly eased his way down onto the quilt till he was reclining on his side as he watched Ali place the food on the plates.

With a playful glint in his eye Adam couldn't help but ask, "So, little one, did you cook the food for the basket?"

"Of course I did, sweetheart," Ali smiled, as she handed Adam a plate.

Arching his brow ever so slightly Adam warned, "Alissa…"

"Oh, very well. Hop Sing made the food, but I packed the basket!" she added proudly.

"You don't want to get sick at the picnic, do you? If I cooked the food that is probably what would happen!"

Adam chuckled softly, "Alissa, what are you going to do when we are married and in our own home? Hop Sing can't cook then. Don't you think it is time you learned to cook?"

A brief twinkle of hope came to Alissa's eyes as she looked over at Adam.

"Well, sweetheart, when the time comes I thought you could hire a cook and housekeeper."

Shaking his head Adam declared firmly, "Not a chance, Alissa, so you better start some lessons with Hop Sing soon."

As a look of disappointment suddenly appeared on her face, Adam leaned in closer and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before settling back and grabbing a piece of chicken off his plate.

Alissa crossed her arms and pouted, "Yeah, like Hop Sing teaching me is going to happen. He barely lets me in the kitchen now, Adam. After all this time he still blames me for the little gun incident. I don't think he will ever get over that!"

While starting to nibble on a cold biscuit Ali couldn't help but glare as she heard Adam let out a low chuckle.

"Yes, that man can hold a grudge for a long time. But I will talk to him and try and smooth things over and tell him for the sake of my stomach, you need to learn to cook! Now let's eat this lunch…I am starving!"

After they had finished eating and Alissa had packed what was left into the picnic basket, she lay down on Adam's lap and closed her eyes. Adam started humming softly while he began to play with her hair. He loved Alissa's beautiful long hair and never passed up a chance to run his fingers through its silky softness. Soon the sound of the breeze as it gently blew through the trees plus Adam's soothing humming was slowly putting Alissa to sleep.

"Hey there, little one, are you sleeping on me?" Adam leaned down and gently kissed her lips.

"Mmmm…that is a nice way to wake up. Promise me you will wake me every morning with a kiss after we are married."

A wicked grin came to Adam's lips as he answered, "Oh, I will… and a whole lot more!"

"Why you cheeky…"

Alissa didn't get to finish her sentence as Adam gave her that delightful wink of his and then quickly pulled her to him and kissed her soundly. Not just a gentle kiss either, no, this kiss caused a delicious fire that started with her lips and gradually swept through her as it warmed her like a balmy summer breeze when it caressed her body.

As their lips slowly parted he gazed into her eyes and whispered against her mouth, "I love you, Alissa, with every breath that I take and every beat of my heart. For without you in my life my heart will no longer beat, and as a flower dies on the vine when it is without water… so would I without your love."

Adam slowly leaned down to bring his lips to hers once more but suddenly stopped as he noticed Alissa beginning to cry. She looked up into Adam's eyes as her own eyes filled with tears and a lone teardrop slowly slipped down her cheek. Adam reached down and gently wiped the tear away with his thumb.

"Sweetheart, why are you crying?"

"Because that is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. You have the gift of a poet when you speak, Adam. No one has ever said anything that beautiful to me before and what you just said makes me cry with happiness."

Alissa smiled as she reached up and gently caressed the cleft in his chin, something she always loved doing whenever they were in each other's arms.

"If I didn't love you more than life itself before, I sure do now. You have made my heart sing with your wonderful words, Adam, and when I am in your arms I feel safe and loved. Just being here in your arms feels like home to me, and now I know this is where I truly belong."

Adam smiled as he slowly brought his lips to capture her waiting mouth in one more passionate kiss, and soon they became lost in each other's embrace as the warm summer breeze gently caressed the leaves on the branches above them.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Alissa was lying in her bed watching the morning sunlight slowly move across the bed as she remembered Adam's kisses from the day before.

When she brought her fingers to her lips she softly muttered, "Oh that man can certainly curl a girl's toes with his kisses. So much so that I can't stop thinking of his soft full lips on mine… especially while I am lying here in bed. Mmm, yesterday was such a lovely day wrapped in his arms out under the tree and I so enjoyed our picnic."

Smiling contently Alissa stretched wanting to stay in bed all morning dreaming of her handsome man. But if she wanted to have breakfast with that handsome man, she had to get up. So she threw back the blue and yellow quilt that had kept her snuggly warm last night and quickly placed her feet into the slippers by her bed. Frowning she contemplated what she had planned for today.

"Adam was in such a good mood yesterday, but after I go into town and hopefully get a job on the newspaper…that mood is going to go south!"

Grabbing her dressing gown off of the bed she eventually went over to the washbasin and poured out some water to wash her face. After she set the pitcher down, she looked into the mirror. The sleepy eyed girl looking back at her was certainly not the same person who had come on this journey so many months ago. So much had happened to this girl since she had walked through that unusual door in the gift shop.

This girl could saddle and ride a horse, muck out a stall, shoot a gun (okay, maybe not shoot very well yet) and even churn butter. Of course that was the extent of her success in cooking, and at best it was still a work in progress. But that really didn't bother Alissa too much as cooking just wasn't her thing. No, the most important thing that had happened to her since coming back in time was falling in love with Adam Cartwright and agreeing to become his wife.

As a dreamy look settled across Alissa's face she kept daydreaming of her new life. Too bad our engagement party had to be postponed, but I wanted to wait until Adam was fully recovered before we have the party. And he did promise me to stay off of wild horses until after the party, she thought smiling.

Picking up her hairbrush Alissa began brushing her long hair.

"Ohh, this long hair of mine is such a pain to keep care of out here. It is always getting tangled. I need my expensive conditioners so badly. Maybe I will cut it short," she pondered, as she continued trying to get the tangle out.

"I wonder what Adam would do if I cut my hair real short? Probably have a fit! And oh the ladies in town would all have apoplexy," she giggled.

"You know what else is a problem for me from time to time besides this long hair?" Alissa asked, with a bit of a pout as she pointed the hairbrush at the mirror.

"It is that oh so sexy, drop dead gorgeous man that I am in love with. You know he is the poster boy for stubborn and opinionated men! And the fact that his opinion is completely and only his makes no difference to him. And I know one of his opinions is that women should only be able to do certain things outside of the home. And I am pretty sure getting a job on a newspaper is not one of those things!"

Grinning slyly Alissa reached for her perfume bottle and dabbed a small amount behind each ear.

"Hmm, this task may be a little more difficult for me to get around Adam… but it is doable," She smirked.

Setting the perfume bottle back on her dressing table Alissa continued having this one-way conversation with her mirror.

"So Miss Alissa Marie Anderson, just how do you plan on explaining having a job on the newspaper to your fiancé and Ben? They will absolutely blow a gasket, you know. Of Course I haven't even gotten the job yet, so maybe I should worry about that first and deal with Adam and Ben later. Okay Ali, that sounds like a plan."

Alissa stood up and saluted herself in the mirror before she went over to the dresser to finish getting ready to go down to breakfast.

TBC

I know this chapter was rather long, but I just couldn't find a place to stop once I got started. Hope you enjoyed it!