Disclaimer: The characters don't belong to me, mores the pity.
I'm answering a prompt on another list: The slam sounded like a gun shot: It made me want to write a fic here as well. I hope you all enjoy. Char :-)
The slam sounded like a gun shot. So much so that Johnny's gun was out of his holster and in his hand before he turned all the way around. He weighed his options, pondering whether to continue holding it or drop it back in place when he saw his father's scowling face as he stomped his way to the barn. Reluctantly, Johnny returned the gun to its place on his hip and smiled at the giant of a man heading in his direction. "Hi ... Pa." Johnny had learned in the last year since he'd been home that the occasional "Pa" could soften the great bear's growl.
"Where is your brother?" Murdoch's voice boomed.
Johnny released a short breath of relief and a crooked grin snaked on his face at the realization that he was not the source of his father's ire this time. "Still in town." With a girl. That same girl he's been going to town to see every day. The same one Murdoch told him he couldn't see. Johnny, however, wisely kept that bit of information from his already irate father.
"Saddle my horse!"Murdoch shouted.
"Yes sir. ... Uh ... where ya goin'?"
"After your brother!"
Dutifully, Johnny went about making quick work of saddling his father's big chestnut horse. He didn't want to think about the confrontation to come in town. Murdoch Lancer did not, however, agree.
"Don'tcha think that Scott can take care of himself, Murdoch."
"Do you?"
"Wellllllll, Cal really ain't that bad."
"Calamity Jane! Not that bad!" Murdoch boomed as he headed off towards Green River.
Johnny laughed. "Someone's in troubleeeeeee!!" He happily kicked a rock and swaggered back toward the house, "And it ain't me!"
The End
Author's Note: The Calamity Jane in this fic is the Stephanie Powers one from her Bonanza performance. Since the Lancer writers liked putting Stephanie Powers as Scott's female interest in two eps, I thought I'd do the same. ;-)