The floor boards creeped as Cieste walked down the steps. Trying to be as quiet as possible she grabbed her coat and gun just before leaving a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Now where's my daughter in law going at this time in the mornin?" Ben spoke softly turning on the light.
" oh you know Ben just out. Going to mend some fences and uh.... Stuff?" She spoke in question.
He let out a low chuckle. "And what shall I tell Hoss when you aren't at breakfast?"
"Tell him I'm clearing my head and not to come after me."
" and how long do you think I can last holding him back I mean?"

"I don't even know anymore Ben." Cieste said sighing and shrinking into the sofa.
Ben walked around the back of it and placed his hands on her shoulder.
"Why don't you keep me company until the boys wake up? I'm sure they'll want to see you before your important mending errand."
Sighing in defeat she relaxed and grabbed Adams book from the table and turned to page 1.

3 hours later.

"Well, there you are Esty. Just gettin ready ta wake you up, but you weren't there." Hoss asked coming down the steps and grabbing her hand.
"You worry to much. I was just down here keeping your father company."
She answered with a dazzling smile that would fool anyone. Anyone except the Cartwrights.
"Right. Well, I'm starvin near death. HOPSING you got those rolls done yet?" He called.
"Come on, darlin. Let's get some breakfast." Hoss spoke.
With a swift movement she was away from Hoss and towards the door. "I'm sorry Hoss but I'll be back in an hour or two. I'm going to get some target practice. Please tell me you understand?" She practically begged.
"Yeah, yeah. Why wouldn't I, darlin? You don't even have ta ask." Hoss answered with confusion.
With a quick peck to the cheek she was gone in a whirlwind.
"What was that about, hoss?" Little Joe asked as he walked down the stairs with Adam.
"I can't say I rightly know, Joe. Well, I'm hungrier than the devil lets eat."
With a chuckle they laughed it off until later that night when she came back and with news. She sat down on the couch as the men sat in their usual spots with hoss"s arm around Cieste.
"My sister has decided to come and "visit." She wants to stay here on the Ponderosa."
With a clap Ben spoke. "That's not a problem you know that. I never knew you had a sister."
"Your sister? Abigail?" Hoss asked.
Cieste sighed and nodded." I don't mention her much. She doesn't have much respect for me marrying a "hillbillian, outlawen, gun shootin, good for nothing cowboy" I think is how she put it." She playfully hit hoss's hat down and he chuckled.
"She never really liked me and the boys. As soon as she could, she left for the city and never looked back. She was always mommies little princess. While we were Rollin in mud she was buying fancy clothes and makin us poorer by the day. My poor Pa didn't have the heart to tell her no." She sighed and Adam spoke up.
"Have you ever met her Hoss?"
"Oh, I met her once when me and Ci Ci went to frisca for some new steers. Not the best day o my life. Let's just say a pot was thrown and words were spoke."
Hoss spoke shuddering at the horrid memory.
Cieste let out a cold laugh.
"There was a code between our family our parents never knew. We were never rich people. So when we wanted something we all worked together to get it. We learned at a young age to do your chores without asking and do as told but don't be afraid to get a little dirty. Abi broke that code more than once. So we went our separate ways. And I'm afraid she'll be the worst thing this house has ever seen." With a miserable groan she let a tear go down her face. Hoss wrapped his arm around her tighter.
"Cieste, Pa built this house stronger than that and we've seen a lot in our time I'm sure she'll be fine." Joe spoke up with a small smile.
"Oh I guess. I've just been so tired lately. I think I'll go lay down. Goodnight." She spoke with a yawn.
"Alright darlin I'll be up in a little while." Hoss told her and his answer was a short nod.

Next day at Noonish.
"Hoss, I found out why I have been so tired. I went to Doc Martin this morning." Cieste told him as he brushed his horse in the barn.

"Your ok, righ." He looked over the horse to her with concerned eyes.
"Hoss, I think we're going to need to add that extra room on the house." She told her with a glimmer in her eyes. He dropped the brush and ran around the side of the horse.

"Now you ain't playin me are ye?"
She only shook her head with a holler he was out the door. That is of course as he ran back in and picked her up swinging her around.
"How far are ye?"
"5 weeks." With that said he was runnin across the yard yelling for his brothers and pa.
They came around the side of the house guns Drew and a surprised look.
"Hoss what's all the fuss?" Adam spoke up putting his gun away along with the others.
"I'll tell ye, uncle Adam. And uncle Joe and Big Grandpa. I'm gonna be a pa!" He yelled hollering and whooping and jumpin all around. After getting over the shock they were all dancing and cheering before they noticed Cieste leaning against the barn with a silly smile.
Before they knew what was happening the married folks were in town finding cloth for clothing and new spools of thread for she would have to do something since Hoss wasn't letting her leave the house.

12 months later

Often you could see Cieste and her baby girl , Jocelyn, staring off into space into the fire on her old rocker. Hoss had got the room done in the first two weeks and Joe and Adam made a beautiful crib.
Everything was running smoothly ,the baby was an angel currently sleeping in her mothers room,until the knock on the door came one early night. Ben got the door but was pushed out of the way by a woman in bright pink walked in strutting.
"Now where is my dear sister, sir?" She spoke with her nose up.
"Abigail?" Cieste spoke seeing her immediately. Well it's kind of hard to miss her.
When she realized her thoughts were correct she prayed silently in a whisper for strength.
"Ah yes there you are, Ciestelle. And you must be the servants." She walked up to Adam and Joe.
"Go take my things to my room. And quickly please I need tea in a moment." Hoss' arm tightened on ci Cis waist.
"Oh abbi they are Hoss' brothers and father. Adam, Joe and Ben"
"How de do." Adam spoke biting his lip when he was ready to say more.
"I see why you went after these folks. I wish I had the time to meet a rich man and have them fall in love with me." She spoke with hatred.
"Why did you come, Abi?" Cieste ignored the last comment.
She scoffed. "For the money of course."
"What?"
"Wyatts and Johnnys money. They couldn't have been broke. Surely they left some to their heartbroken sister."
"They left nothing but their widowed wives and their guns but you have no use for those." She said trying to get the woman to leave soon.
"Oh my. Well, I suppose I can take those to sell. Give me them." She ordered with her hand out.
"I will not give them to you. They are old and don't work well. They won't bring up anything." Cieste spoke lying through her teeth. They were the nicest guns shed ever seen.
"They are mine. I'm the eldest they go to me turn them over or I will bring my lawyer."
Knowing she had no choice as it was round up season and no one had money laying around. She walked over to the drawer.
"Cieste, you don't have to give them to her. We can find a different way." Hoss tried to tell her with everyone in the family behind her even hop sing.
"No, not it being round up time and Jocelyn to think of. You can have them, sister." She gave the two bright shining pistols ,she helped them make them when she was younger, to her sisters gloved hands. And in a whirlwind her sister was gone with the guns and her bags.
Baby Jocelyn started crying and as she turned to get her Hoss held her back and ran up the stairs after her. Cieste silently thanked him before sitting on the settee.
"You know you didn't have to do that." Little Joe spoke up.
"Yes, I did. Those guns aren't near as important as you all, Hoss, and Jocelyn. They were special, but I learned to carry them in a special spot that's not on my shoulders." She answered looking at Ben with knowing eyes.
Hoss came back down, slowly but surely, with Jocelyn and her little hand latched onto his cowhide vest.
"Now ain't you just beautiful." He whispered.

"Be careful you just might make your wife jealous with that kind of talk." Ben chatisized slightly and playfully.

With a warm smile Hoss said," I dont know how ye did it with three boys. When I'm over here taking care of a single girl and she howls louder than the devil."

Hoss pov

50 years later we had many more children and Joe got married along with Adam even pa found Someone. For Christmas that year I got my lovely, grey haired wife, those guns back after her sister had died drinking herself to death and as for our oldest daughter Jocelyn, she was crazier than Joe and ended in more predicaments than we can count. But we were there standing by her side the whole time. This is family. This is my life.

And I couldn't love it anymore