Disclaimer – I don't own these characters and I didn't invent them. I'm just playing.

This takes place right at the end of The Badge. Kitty had returned and at the end of the episode we see Matt and Kitty head off to the boarded up Long Branch. This is just one idea stated in one chapter.

Matt and Kitty walked arm and arm down the street to the boarded up Long Branch.

"Matt, can you pull enough of these boards down for us to get to the door."

"It shouldn't be too much trouble," responded Matt as he loosened and pulled off the boards that were nailed across the entrance. There were also a few boxes in front of the entrance, which Matt easily moved aside."

Kitty pulled out a key, flipped open the cover that covered the keyhole, and unlocked the door. The couple entered and Kitty locked the door behind them. Kitty looked around and smiled, obviously pleased to be back.

"Oh, Cowboy, it is nice to be home. I'll go in the back and grab a bottle of good brandy. You grab a couple of glasses and we'll go upstairs."

Brandy and glasses in hand the couple went upstairs and Kitty unlocked her door. She and Matt entered, Matt closing the door behind him.

Kitty looked at Matt, she put her arms around him and leaned her head on his chest. "That chest wound healed up just fine it seems."

Matt stroked the back of her head, "I'm fine you know that, but how are you?"

Kitty snuggled further into his chest, "I'm finer now than I have been in a while."

Matt pulled her face up to his and moved his lips against hers. She responded kissing him hard and pressing her body against him. They moved naturally onto the bed, undressing each other, touching and kissing. Their love making left them happy and satisfied.

Kitty smiled and sighed as she sat up in bed, "Well Cowboy, maybe it's time for that brandy."

Matt smiled as he went to pour them each a glass and came back to bed.

They sat up in bed, side by side sipping their brandy.

Matt looked over, "Kitty, I wasn't really sure you were coming back. Especially after Papa tried to have me ambushed in Ballard. If you hadn't yelled out to warn me, his ambush would have worked."

Kitty looked at the man she loved so deeply, "Matt, I hope you understand that I didn't leave Dodge because my feelings for you had changed. I left out of fear – ran away really. I didn't want to face seeing you gunned down in the street again, or riding in from a trip wounded or worse. I somehow convinced myself that if I left, I could forget about you and the harm that could come to you. Well forgetting about you wasn't happening. I thought about you day and especially night, but when you showed up in Ballard, the fear and panic rose up again in me. At the same time I was witnessing what could happen in a place when there was no one to uphold the law. I was confused. I didn't want you in danger, but the town needed someone to uphold the law. It's a job that has to be done. After the ambush attempt I realized that if something happened to you it wouldn't be easier for me to hear about it instead of witness it. I need to be with you and my fear for you is present whether I'm with you or not."

Matt looked at Kitty and sighed, "Kitty, I'm amazed that a woman as wonderful as you wants to be with me."

Kitty stroked Matt's cheek lightly, "Matt I love you, every part of you, even that damned badge."

Matt laughed, they kissed and soon found themselves making love again before falling into a contented sleep.

The next morning, a little after dawn, Kitty was awakened by the sound of Matt moving around. He was sitting on the side of the bed pulling his boots on.

"Morning Cowboy, going somewhere?"

Matt turned and kissed Kitty lightly on the lips. "Morning, I have to ride out to the Essix ranch this morning. There has been a problem with rustlers. I'll be back by late this afternoon. Can we have dinner?"

Kitty grinned, "Dinner and more – I promise you that."

Matt grinned back, "Well that sounds good, real good. Go back to sleep, you didn't get much sleep last night ya know."

Matt left and Kitty sighed contentedly and went back to sleep.

A couple of hours later Festus was walking by the Long Branch and noticed that some boards had been removed, and the boxes that had blocked the entrance had been pushed aside. "Golly Bill," Festus said half out loud, "Someone's gone and broken into the Long Branch, I'd better go get Matthew."

Festus was walking towards the Marshal's office and met Newly. "Newly we've got to get Matthew, someone broke into the Long Branch."

Newly looked skeptical, "Why would anyone do that? Anyway, Moss over in the stable mentioned to me that Matt rode out more than an hour ago."

Festus shook his head, "Newly something strange is going on. You go find Sam and I'll get Doc, we'll meet outside the Long Branch directly."

A little while later Festus, Newly, Sam and Doc all stood outside the Long Branch. Boards had definitely been removed and boxes pushed aside, but the door didn't look broken into. Upon closer examination they could see that the latch that had covered the keyhole was undone.

Doc was as confused as the rest but suggested that they take the next step. "Sam, you have a key, can you open up so we can make sure things are alright in there?"

Everyone agreed that this was a good idea. Sam opened up and they entered. Festus entered first with his gun drawn. The rest filed in quietly. They looked around and saw nothing unusual. Sam looked over the bar at the glass rack. "It looks like a couple of glasses are missing."

Festus put his gun back in his holster, "Well that don't make no sense. It doesn't look like a break in. How could two glasses get stole."

Sam looked around further and saw something else, "Wait, it looks like the most expensive bottle of brandy is also missing."

Festus signed, "This don't make no sense at all. It looks like a break in, but it don't look like a break in. Stuff's stole but the stuff's been stole don't make no sense. I wish I knew when Matthew was gettin back. Matthew sure'd know what to make of it."

"Late this afternoon." The voice came from above.

Festus, Doc, Sam and Newly looked up and jaws dropped.

Kitty just stood there and looked down at them, "You wanted to know when Matt was gong to be back. The answer is late this afternoon. Now if you gentlemen will excuse me, I'm going back to bed. Oh Newly, would you please get some men to remove the rest of the boards and Sam, if it's possible, please get things ready to reopen for business this evening."

With that she turned and went back into her room leaving the four men speechless.

Sam just started to grin. He moved behind the counter and said, "I think I'll do what the lady asked."

Newly was also grinning, "I think, I'll go get Burke and get to removing those boards."

Festus turned to Doc, "Well if that don't beat all. Miss Kitty is back, ain't that the greatest thing ya seen in a long time. Wait til Matthew hears. Say, how do you think she knew when Matthew would be back?"

Doc just rubbed his mustache and smiled for a minute. Then he turned to Festus and said, "I have a feeling Matt knows she's back, Festus. Let's go have breakfast, I'll even buy, in fact I'll buy you a beer here tonight."

That night, the Long Branch was packed. The saloon and its owner had been missed. Sam never looked happier, pouring drinks for all the customers he had so missed seeing. Kitty, Matt, Doc, Festus and Newly were seated at a table in the back. After a few hours of drinking, talking and laughing Matt stood to leave, to make his nightly rounds.

Matt looked directly into Kitty's eyes and said, "I'll be back."

Kitty smiled and whispered for Matt's ears only, "I'll be ready, remember that promise I made."

Their eyes locked for another instant, their hearts in tune with each other's . Matt went out the door planning on making rounds as quickly as possible. He had a promise to get back to, and he was looking forward to it.

The End