Jeb Parker sat glaring at the cards he held in his weathered, calloused hand. His dark blue eyes narrowed as he methodically crewed the cigar that was wedged between his browning teeth, trying to decide what card to play. He slowly sipped the whiskey from the well used glass before he set it down to scratch his thick black beard.

Jeb didn't like the hand that was just dealt to him by his trail hand sidekick, "It's a good thing I like ya, Pip. Any other man dealt me a hand like this I'd thump 'em into an early grave." He continued to chew on his stogy and continued to think. Pip only laughed at his partner and then took a big swig of whiskey from the bottle on the table.

The air in the Bull's Head Saloon was thick with body odour, stale booze and smoke. It was a blue gray haze, but the cowboys from the Templeton Brown drive didn't care -they had money in hand for a job done and they wanted to have some fun in Dodge.

Matt stepped through the doorway and took a cursory look around. He was satisfied that everyone was more or less behaving themselves for this time of day. He made sure that he was noticed and sent one more glance around the room which drew a few heckles form some of Brown's more weathered employees.

Matt just shook his head in slight amusement. He never could figure why someone would drive cattle 500 miles just to get drunk and return home broke, only to do it again the next year. He backed out of the saloon to continue his rounds. With a deep breath of relief, he strolled up Front Street watching Brown's men make merry. He was mostly relieved that Erik Johnson's herd hadn't reached Dodge just yet. He shuttered to think what the night would be like if those two were in town.

As Matt continued his way up the street he ran into Doc who was just heading to his stairs. "Doc. You've been gone all day."

Doc stopped and turned to Matt. "I can't believe a whole day has gone by. All I was planning to do today was visit Mary Stacey about her boy, Tom. And then maybe do some fishing..." Doc's tone was somewhat perturbed.

Matt tucked is thumbs into his belt. "How come you didn't get fishin'?"

Doc swiped his right hand across his moustache. "If you really want to know, you better buy me a drink..." His crystal blue eyes twinkled. Matt chuckled and pat Doc on the shoulder indicating that he was heading to the Long Branch. "Sounds like you've had quite a day." Doc could only nod in agreement.

The two men stepped through the swing doors of the Long Branch. The atmosphere was much more welcoming than the Bull's Head. Both Matt and Doc spotted Kitty at the far end of the long dark wooden bar. They wove past the partons that lined the bar and the ones who waited for their drinks.

"Kitty?" Matt's voice cut through the regular mumbled voices that filled the room.

"Hi Matt. Doc." She smiled warmly at each of them. "Quite time in town tonight." She stated not really needing an explanation. Matt and Doc stepped up to the bar beside her. Doc look down at his medical bag and Matt straightened his back, pushed his hat back on his head and surveyed the room before looking at Kitty. "Yeah. It's quite alright. Kinda like the calm before the storm."

Kitty only chuckled at Matt's dramatic air.

Doc looked up to the tall lawman. "And just what did you mean by that!"

Matt leaned forward and rested his elbows on the bar. His glance switched from the doctor's eyes to Kitty's. "I mean that as soon as Erik Johnson brings his herd and his men in to town, there's bound to be trouble. You know how it is. You just can't get Johnson and Brown thinking the same way..."

Doc nodded and returned his look to his medical bag. Both Matt and Kitty noticed. "Say, Doc. You were going to tell me why you had such a long day and didn't get fishing." Matt indicated to Kitty to pour Doc a drink.

"Oh, right." Doc watched Kitty pour his drink before he launched into his story.

"Here you go Doc." Kitty placed the glass lovingly before her friend and winked at him.

Doc caught the wink and smirked as he brought the glass up to his lips to sip on the amber liquid. Satisfied he gently placed the glass down on the bar in front of himself before he started his story. Matt and Kitty waited with slightly amused looks on their faces which matched Doc's.

Doc almost couldn't pull the story out of himself without breaking into an all out laugh - he had to remain serious. "It all started after I finished setting little Tom's leg. Took a bad fall in the barn..." His eyes slowly lifted to Matt's and Kitty's. "Then, just as mid day was coming on, and I thought just maybe I could get in some fishing and started out the north road to the pond. That's when it happened."

What happened?" Matt's voice filled with concern thinking something horrible had kept Doc from fishing.

"Him."

"Huh?" Kitty chimed in. "Him who?"

"Festus! That him!" Doc's anxiety level rose with the mere mention of the deputy's name.

"What'de do?" Matt looked over to Kitty who asked the question. They braced themselves for the answer.

"I was heading up the north road, as I said, when Winnie Miller came rushing down the other way. I thought something terrible had happened. Well, it didn't! Turns out that your deputy, while supposedly working for the Millers, ate too many sour apples and got himself sick!" Doc's emphasis on the last word caused Kitty and Matt to break out laughing. Doc scowled at the pair. "Sure you find it funny...why that man is a walking disaster!" Doc took another drink from his glass and winked at Kitty who was still laughing.

Once he composed himself Matt leaned toward the doctor and ask, "Well how is Festus...he going to be okay?"

Doc set the empty glass down sharply. "Oh, sure he is. He picked up right as rain when he spotted my fishin' gear! That's when I decided I wasn't going..." He then couldn't resist and chuckled to himself.

Kitty quickly poured the beleaguered doctor another drink as she heard the unmistakable sound of Festus' spurs hurrying up the boardwalk.

Festus stopped outside the swing doors and spotted Matt, Kitty and Doc all talking. Quickly he stepped through and scurried over to the trio. "Matthew!"

Matt turned to Festus as did the others. "Festus? What is it?"

"Matthew. The Johnson cattle drive is just coming inta town! You said you wanted ta know as soon as they got here." Festus thumbed over his shoulder to the doorway with a look of deep concern on his weathered face. "Ol' Erik, he didn't look to happy seeing Brown's men all millin' around."

Matt quickly finished his drink. "Come on Festus. Let's nip this trouble in the bud." And the two lawmen left.