Hostage: Kitty's Fate, The Morning After
Chapter 1Gunsmoke
Notes: Okay, so this is not literally the morning after, need I explain? What happened in the weeks and months after this trauma, because let's face it, it wasn't over with the Dog Soldier's capture. Far from it. Kitty had more to deal with than just physical pain. This idea was viciously swimming inmy head and I had to get it out and on paper. I hope that it's not too much, but I had to really finish this story.
It has been a almost four weeks since Kitty and Matt had gone to Hays City to see Jude, before he was taken to prison, and almost 3 months since Kitty's ordeal with Jude Bonner and his men. They had come a long way in such a short amount of time. But the road ahead, would still be long and filled with boulders. Somehow, Matt Dillon would see his woman through this all and his woman would love him, and hold him, and tell him that he was her whole world. Things were slowly returning to normal. Kitty was back at the Long Branch and the customers were very happy to see her beautiful smile once again. She also found out on a few occasions, that the customer's were very protective of her. Keeping a watch out for trouble and even intervening when the Marshal was unable to get there fast enough or was out of town all together.
Kitty was beginning for feel safe once again in her own skin. Doc had come by on several occasions and taken her to the Henderson ranch about 5 miles outside of Dodge. Mrs. Henderson was expecting her 4th child and Doc was sure he was going to need help.
If not with birthing the child, then with keeping the other three out of his hair so he could deliver. The three younger ones were 4, 5, and six years old. The one thing they had in common was the fact that they were all boys and very much in love with Miss Kitty. She would tell them to sit and be quiet and they wouldn't move a muscle as long as she said.
Yes, life in Dodge was returning to normal.
It was still fairly early in the evening. The Long Branch was steadily picking up customers. Kitty sat alone at a table in the back, working on her books among the slight noise and customers. She reached over and poured herself another cup of coffee. The pot was almost empty and she was ready for another pot of coffee to give her a generous caffeine fix. Standing up, with the silver pot in her hands, she became dizzy and dropped the pot. Newly had entered the bar and was on his way over to talk to her when he saw her getting dizzy. He gently placed his hand on her waist.
"You alright, Miss Kitty?" He asked as one of her girls came over and knelt down to pick up the pot. Nellie set the pot on the table.
"I'm fine, Newly, I'm so clumsy. I guess I'm just a bit tired is all." Sam comes over to her as well.
"Maybe you should call it a night, Miss Kitty?" Sam said to her.
"Maybe you're right, Sam. I'll be in my office, till my dinner dates get here." She says smiling as she closed her books and took them and headed for her office. She slowly walks in and closes the door behind her. Leaning against the door, she closes her eyes for a moment as the dizziness begins to pass. Then placed her hand on her abdomen, as it churned as though she were going to loose her lunch like she lost her breakfast earlier that morning. Inhaling deeply, she slowly headed over to her desk.
A few hours later, Sam was serving drinks when Doc, Festus and Matt walked in. The three of them were going to Del Monicos for dinner and taking Kitty to celebrate her birthday. As usual, the Long Branch was now jumping with business.
Festus goes up to the Bar with Doc and Matt.
Walking up to the bar, Festus gently slapped his hand on the counter. "Hey Sam, where's Miss Kitty?"
"In her office. She was feeling a bit tired so she decided to finish her work in the office where it's quieter." Sam said cleaning the bar with a towel.
"I'll go get her, Mathew." Festus goes in the back to Kitty's office. There, lying on the floor, unconscious is Kitty. "Doc! Mathew!" The two rush to the office to find Kitty unconscious on the floor. Doc kneels down and takes her pulse.
"Festus, go get my bag." Festus gets up and runs out of the Long Branch. "Matt, let's get her up to her room." Matt leans down and gently lifts her into his arms. Doc lifts her one arm and places it on her abdomen, her other arm hung down Matt's back. He carries her out of the office and through the saloon. Everyone becomes silent. They watch as the Marshall carries her up the steps with the Doc right behind them.
Kitty lay resting, Doc tells Festus to sit with her a bit. He then takes Matt out of the room.
"What's wrong with her Doc?" Matt said as he leaned against the rail
Doc looked up at him and tried to figure out how he was going to tell Matt what was wrong with Kitty. Looking around, he noticed that the Long Branch was now empty with the exception of Sam who was mopping up the floors.
"Well, Matt, she's pregnant." He said looking into the confused blue eyes of his friend.
"What?" Matt choked out. This couldn't be real. Was this really happening to them? He thought to himself.
"I figure, three months." Doc said scratching his beard. A single tear slipped from his grey eyes as he thought about the woman in the other room. She had been through hell these past few months and now this was just another brick piled onto her already heavy load. How can he tell that woman, whom he loved dearly, that she carried a child that could belong to Matt or one of the twelve men that had raped her, including Jude Bonner. He was the worst of them all. Doc had seen her wake up screaming too many times, begging him to stop. Jude Bonne was definitely the worst of the bunch.
"Jude?" Matt said flatly.
"I don't know, Matt. But if I'm right on how far along she is, then it would be him or…" H couldn't finish the sentence, or one of his men. How could he when this was killing Matt and it would most likely destroy Kitty. He looks up at Matt "I can't tell her Matt. How am I supposed to tell her that one of those men may have fathered her child." He shakes his head. "I can't do it." His voice cracked with pain and fear for Kitty.
"I think it would be best if I tell her, Doc." He looks over at Kitty's door. "I need to be the one to tell her cause I'm the one going to have to hold her at night, Doc. This is, it's gonna destroy her, Doc. But I won't let. I can't let it destroy either of us. I love her too much to lose her now."
"I was hoping you would say that. I'm a coward when it comes to Kitty, Matt. I mean, she's like my daughter. I don't know." Doc said as he scratched nervously at his beard once again.
"It's alright, Doc. I, I know." He looks up at the door. "Let me have some time alone with her." He said as they headed back to her bedroom.
Sam had been mopping the floor but he had heard everything they had said. He shook his head in worry. Kitty was his boss and he respected her greatly. She had always been fair to him and even more so. Had he worked at the Lady Gay, he'd be making half the money he was making, plus, her smile always made it much easier to work with than Jeb Kliner's sourpuss. His heart ached for her and he knew that he couldn't let on that he knew. She would tell him in her own time.
Doc and Matt entered Kitty's room. Festus must have told Kitty a pretty good joke because she was laughing. It broke Matt and Doc's hearts to know that they may never hear that laughter from her again.
"Festus, why don't you come on, let Kitty get some sleep." Doc said annoyed with him. But truth was, he wasn't annoyed, just terrified of losing her.
"Sure, Doc." He looks at Kitty who smiles up at him.
"I'm fine, Festus, really." He gets up and heads out the door. Matt comes into the room.
"Hey!" She says as he sits beside her. He sits against the headboard and pulls her into his arms. "What's wrong, Matt."
"I was talking to the Doc." He said not knowing where to begin.
"And?" She said not realizing what her symptoms were. She was completely oblivious to what was about to come.
"Kitty, you're pregnant." He said holding her in his arms. She didn't move or breathe for what seemed like forever. Matt didn't know what to do, except to hold her in his arms.
"What? No, Matt!" She pulls away from him and sits up, looking at him. The tears began to fall, and he pulled her back into his arms. "Nooooo!"
"It's alright, we'll get through this." He told her as she laid her face against his hard chest and sobbed. All the memories and nightmares of her ordeal returned in a split second. Her body trembled in his arms, but he held onto her for dear life.
"I can't, Matt, I can't do this. How am I supposed to have a child by that, that animal? How?" She cried.
Cupping her face in his hands, "As far as I'm concerned, this is my child, Kitty."
"But," She started, but he would not allow her to go there. This would be their child no matter what.
"Shooo." He says quieting her. "Everyone in town knows I love you. And you love me. This is our child." He gently kisses her tears away, then gently kisses her on the mouth. Kitty looked into his dark blue eyes. All she could see was love. Unconditional love. No matter what happened, she knew he would be there for her. But would he accept this child as his own? How could he? They would never know who the father of this child was. Would he love Jude Bonner's child? Would she love the child for that matter? How was she going to get through this one?
to be continued ……