I'VE SWALLOWED THE GREEN DRESS"

2nd In The Alexandra Series

Summary : Alexandra is very sick. As each of the Cartwrights sit with Adam and Alex, they recall some naughty and funny adventures. But, what has she done with the green dress?

Warning: spanking of a minor in some chapters.

A.N. This story should have really been about the infamous "Bonanza - Blue dress", but Alexandra wouldn't be seen dead in it.

Chapter 1 – I Swallowed The Green Dress

Alex tossed and turned in her bed. She was hot. Very hot and her throat really hurt. She was dreaming. A green dress was swirling around her head, way, way up in the sky; Swirling with all the flowers that were being ripped out of the ground. The wind grabbed her and tossed her around with the green dress, up in the sky above the now barren field below. She wanted to get down, she screamed to get down. She opened her mouth to scream and the green dress flew down her throat and she swallowed it whole. But it stuck in her throat, and she could hardly swallow.

Alex bolted upright, crying "I've swallowed the green dress … I've swallowed the green dress.'' She slowly climbed out of bed dizzy and hot, and went looking for her daddy. She didn't care if the monster under the bed grabbed her ankles. She didn't have enough strength to jump from the bed to the door.

Adam was sitting in the big red chair, reading by the fire. He heard Alex crying and went to get up when he saw her appear at the top of the stairs.

"Daddy I've swallowed the green dress. I've swallowed the green dress. ''She pleaded almost in fear. Grabbing her throat she started to descend the stairs. Adam bolted at the same time and quickly scooped her up before she fell. She was hot, too hot, and started to cry.

''Please daddy help me. It's stucked. The green dress, I've swallowed it whole.''

Adam went straight back to the big red chair, and sat down with Alex cradled in his lap. He put his hand on her forehead.

''Alex, Alex, come on wake up, you're having a bad dream.''

''No.. I've swallowed the green dress … it hurts...It hurts my throat.''

Adam noticed a fine red rash appearing down her neck and disappearing down the yoke of her nightshirt. She was sick and she was asleep, she was delirious with fever. He called for Hoss.

''Hoss! … Hoss!''

Hoss came running in from the kitchen with Hop sing not far behind. Ben heard Adams' fearful call, as had Joe . They all appeared in the big room within seconds. At that moment Alex sat up.

"Daddy?"

Adam felt her stomach muscle wretch and the spasm in her chest. Instinctively he grabbed the bottom of her nightshirt and cupped it just in time to catch the liquid that erupted from her mouth.

"Whaooo''

All panic broke loose. Hop sing ran back to the kitchen to fetch a bucket, Hoss followed and grabbing a towel and basin started to fill the bowl from the pump. Joe stood at the top of the stairs amazed at the sight of his father, rapidly firing instructions at his eldest brother.

''Look out; she's going to go again…. Keep her shirt up…. Hop Sing, hurry!''

"I'm holding it up… But it's not going to take much more… How can one little kid regurgitated this much volume?" Alex started to cry. Cry and Vomit. Adam held the bottom of her shirt with one hand and started to rub her back with the other. "Shhh… its okay baby, that's the girl.. good girl, Alex …shhh, it's okay.''

''The green dress daddy it got stuck …. '' She cried, ''But, it's gone now,'' she whispered and went to sit back, nearly spilling the contents of the dam that filled the bottom of her night shirt.

''Whoooo ….. No honey, stay still.''

Hop sing ran with the bucket and placed it at Adams feet.

Speaking very slowly Ben coached from the side of the big red chair. ''OK …. Adam…. steady now… lower the shirt real slow and over the bucket… good, good… now let the vomit fall into the bucket…''

''Pa! Will you stop talking so slow… you're making me nervous!'' yelled Adam.

''Joe! Don't just stand there, get down here and help!" bellowed Ben

Hoss ran in with the basin of water, a flannel and towel. ''Here I got some water… we'll clean her up, but first we gotta get this shirt offa her.''

Joe started to lift the shirt up over her head, while Adam held on the soggy mess at the front. Just then Alex belched and regurgitated. They all froze, waiting for another eruption.

Alex swallowed, ''It's Ok. It went back down; doesn't taste very nice!''

Joe continued to peel off the shirt and then dropped it in the bucket.

''Joe take that outside to the bathhouse,'' directed Ben. "Hoss passed Adam the towel and helped wrap Alexandra in it."

Aex held on for dear life, her arms wrapped tightly around Adams neck. "Come on sweetie. Let me wash you.''

Hoss wrung out the flannel and handed to Adam, who gently wiped her face, then proceeded to sponge the rest of her body with the cool rag. Hop sing bent in to look at the child and frowned when he felt the heat of her body, and the raised angry rash that was appearing on her upper torso.

''Vely bad, vely bad . Little girl vely sick.''

"What do you think is wrong with her, Hop Sing?'' asked Adam.

''Let me look in throat!''

''Alex open up your mouth and let Hop Sing have a look.''

''No, go away Hop Sing!''

''Alexandra, we can't make you better if we can't see in your mouth. Now open up,'' said adam gently.

''Let me try Adam." Asked Hoss ''Alexandra, come on pumkin' open your mouth... Come on be a good girl now, and as soon as your better, I'll take you to visit that baby calf we took back to its momma. Remember, it was sick. It was a brave little calf, remember, it let us fix its sore leg. It's all better now. Let old Hop Sing take a look, so he can make you better, and then you can go see that brave little calf.''

''Already seen im… Go away Hoss!'' scowled Alexandra.

A concerned Hop Sing spoke firmly. "Little girl open up now! or Hop Sing get wooden spoon!''

''Alright Hop Sing don't get ya pigtail in a knot!'' She whined quietly.

Usually, that sassiness would have earned her a swat from her father, but she was sick and a little delirious with fever and not in control of her gift for 'thinking out loud.' The family were also a little relieved that the child's fiery little persona was still there, which was a good sign.

Recognising Hop Sing's threat, Alexandra opened her mouth.

"Vely bad throat, Mista Adam. Vely red ,with abscess. Make little girl sick when swallow."

Ben frowned with concern. "Hop Sing, do you think it's Quinsy?"

"Hop Sing , think so. Same as Mista Joe had. Was sick little boy."

"I remember that," said Hoss. "Remember Adam we had to sit him up all night so that he didn't choke."

Adam looked at Hoss, fear expressed in his eyes and an unspoken thought; " Not helping, Hoss!"

Joe tried to help by adding. "I don't remember that," he said.

"Still not helping." Thought Adam.

"That's because you were delirious with fever, most of the time," explained Ben.

Hoss laughed…" Yeah you were so delirious, you thought we were all loose cattle, telling pa that ya let the cattle out trying to rope one. Then ya tried roping everyone. You were sure hard ta keep settled."

"Though, if I remember rightly, you had let the cattle out," recalled Ben.

"Yeah, little brother seems delirium is good for the soul," replied Hoss.

The family's attempts to lighten Adams tension was not working. "Well , I hardly think Alexandra is feeling guilty, over a green dress."

Alex started to wriggle and squirm. "Not the green dress. It's got stuck. I swallowed the green dress, but it's gone now daddy. And it's very happy." Alex tucked up and snuggled into her father's chest.

TBC

Chapter 2 – A Cold bath and A Black Shirt.

Adam recalls a night on the trail, before he first bought Alexandra home.