Disclaimer - I do not own nor did I invent these characters. I neither seek nor receive any financial gain. I just like to make up stories.
This takes place at the very end of Season 19
Riding the train from St. Louis, Kitty watched the scenery go by and felt as if she'd never get home to Dodge. She knew that train travel was a marvel but right now it seemed downright slow, and seeing a flock of birds go by, she idly wondered if there would ever be a time when people could fly. She laughed at herself for such fantasy.
Having just spent a full week at a national saloon owners' convention, Kitty was eager get home to Matt. She missed him so much, and longed to feel his arms around her as she shared every detail of her trip. Matt's job took him away for days at a time, so she usually avoided adding to their time apart, but as a businesswoman she knew she had to attend the event.
Kitty fingered her gold wedding band as she thought back to a time, less then a year before, when Matt had been gone for over a month. She had been sick with worry for weeks, and when she saw him ride in, still had reason for concern. A not fully healed head wound was apparent, as was his sad and tired appearance. He had insisted they talk in private immediately, and as she sat in her room he had paced back and forth. He told her that he had followed a trail all the way to Arizona, where he was attacked and left for dead, and that a rancher named Mike had found him unconscious. Mike, he explained, was a kind woman, who had recently been widowed at an early age. When he regained consciousness, he was in her home with absolutely no memory of who he was or where he had come from. He didn't even remember his name, so Mike called him Dan.
Matt took a long pause as he paced, before explaining the rest - when Dan was feeling better, Mike asked him if he wanted to stay and he said yes. That night he shared her bed. The following day Mike found out his real identity, and called him Matt. Hearing his name brought his memory back, and he rode home to Dodge, wishing the whole way that he had regained his memory just one day sooner.
Kitty recalled the shock she had felt. She never imagined that the man she loved would sleep with another woman. Being too stunned to cry or shout, she had simply said, "I need time to think. Please leave me alone."
He was clearly distraught, but left the room, and in the days that followed complied with her request, and stayed away. Whenever she caught a glimpse of him, her heart clenched at how sad and tired he still looked as he went about his job. She went to Doc for help in understanding amnesia, and came to understand that Matt hadn't sleep with Mike, Dan had. Dan didn't know her, in fact with no memory of his past, the only things Dan knew were Mike and her ranch. That's what she had told Matt when she went to him. That and that she loved him with all her heart, and she was glad that Mike had been there to save his life.
Kitty sighed, knowing it was similar to the way Matt had been glad that Will Stambridge had been there, when vicious bandits attacked a stagecoach she was on. She had been on that stage without Matt, being furious with him for canceling their vacation because of his job. When the stage was robbed, Will protected her. She was grateful, he was charming, and when they got back to Dodge, he actively courted her. Of course, she never slept with Will, but she had gone around town with him quite openly. Will wanted her, but she knew that Matt was the only man she'd ever love, and she sent Will away.
Those events had left them more in love than ever. The flame of young love was still burning hot inside the mature love of knowing and understanding. Then disaster struck. Matt's gun arm was shot. Kitty remembered the sick feeling she felt when she saw the wound, thinking he would lose the arm. Fortunately he didn't, but his future as a lawman was in doubt. The wound was so bad that even Doc wasn't sure how much the arm could recover.
That time he had been the one to say that he needed time to think. He rode out of town, saying he'd be in touch. Matt said he didn't want to put anyone in harms way, when his enemies found out he was helpless and came after him. Kitty knew that was true, but also knew there was more to it, a lot more. She knew that Matt had always known he could be killed on the job, but being disabled was something else. If he couldn't handle a gun and protect others, a big part of his identity was suddenly taken from him.
The day he returned she was at a table in the Long Branch trying to concentrate on her ledgers. She heard the familiar footsteps and looked up as the voice she craved hearing said simply, "Hello Kitty." As his eyes met hers, she saw a deep, deep love coupled with something else, perhaps regret. She knew that she had had the same look in her own eyes when she had approached Matt after saying goodbye to Will Stambridge.
Not knowing how to express what was in her heart, she found herself saying, "Oh Matt," and then not being able to wait one second longer, stood and rushed to him. They clung to each other wordlessly, then arm in arm walked upstairs. They talked and he told her that he was going to put the badge back on. He was sure he could do the job, but there was one thing he hoped would change.
She would never forget his words, "Kitty, I've always thought that I didn't have the right to ask a woman to be my wife while I wore the badge. I never wanted to leave a widow and orphan behind the way my father did. That's been my greatest fear, and I've been trying to control the future so my greatest fear wouldn't come true. Kitty, lately I've been doing a lot of thinking about fear and uncertainty. It's taken me this long to realize that there is no point in trying to control what's to come. I love you Kitty, and I hope it's not to late to ask, will you marry me?"
Kitty smiled to herself, as she remembered being speechless with surprise. In fact she had paused for so long that Matt thought she was turning him down, and started to rise from his chair. She touched his cheek, "Matt Dillon, I love you, and want so much to be your wife."
That was just over 2 months ago. They had quickly organized a wedding, and just one week after Matt's proposal, Judge Brooker married them. They had an amazing celebration in the Long Branch, a party that folks would be talking about for years.
The sound of the train whistle brought Kitty back to the present. Looking out the window, she was pleased to see she was almost home. She'd be in Matt's arms in less than an hour. She wanted to tell him about her week and hear about his, but there was one thing she was even more eager to share. When she left for St. Louis, her period had already been long overdue. Then she started having morning sickness the morning she arrived. She was sure she was pregnant, and couldn't wait to tell Matt.
TBC