Inspired by Caleb in the Town Tamers. Luke is also inspired by Matt's good friend "Luke" in the town tamers and don't be surprised if you see other good friends from Matt's past showing up in later chapters like Hack. My goal is to take this story to the point of where Matt decides to become a Marshal or into his first years as a lawman. So if you have ideas, suggestions, etc. please send them my way as right now I am flying by the seat of my pants!

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em!

It was a cold, dark, January night. As the couple escorted their daughter to the orphanage where she would give her four day old son away. The girl, who had just turned sixteen, fought hard to keep the tears at bay until finally allowing them to stream down her face, she didn't want this, didn't want it for her baby; she and John had had plans to run away. They had planned on doing it before their baby was born but he had come early and her parents, fearing that someone in their upstanding community would find out, were now forcing her to do this. Forcing her to come to this orphanage and hand her son over to some caring nun who would find a home for him. Then she would be taken home, taken home to pretend that she was never pregnant with a poor farm boy's child, so that she could marry the wealthy neighbor's son and make her parents proud. The girl, who's name was Hannah cried all the harder at the thought. John was a nice boy, a good boy, but her parents didn't agree and now they were bringing her here. As they made it to the door way, Hannah looked up, Lawrence County Orphanage. She let that burn into her memory; someday she would return here and find her child. Someday.

The kindly sisters opened the door to the huddled trio when Hannah's father knocked and escorted them in. Hannah looked into the faces of those sisters and cried all the harder. Her tears wetting the blanket that cocooned her four day old son in its warmth.

"I'm Sister Bernice." The older of the two nuns that had answered the door said. "Is this the child?"

"Yes." Hannah heard her father say. Then he took her baby from her arms and handed him over to Sister Bernice.

Sister Bernice opened the blanket and looked in at the baby boy. "How old is he?" she asked.

"4 days." Hannah's mother said, her voice sounding slightly choked.

"Goodness, he isn't all that old is he?" Sister Bernice said. "We'll rest assured that we will try to place him with a family as soon as possible. What do you call him?"

"She didn't name him." Hannah's father spoke before she could. Hannah had named him she just hadn't told anyone else. Her father had forbid her too, and her mother going along with his wishes had said that it would be easier for her if she didn't name him. She had said the same thing when Hannah had been six years old, when she had brought home that kitten and her father made her give it away, saying they had no use for a cat.

"Oh. Well then we shall name him and prepare a birth certificate here." Sister Bernice said.

Shortly after that, Hannah and her parents left, but before she walked out the door, Hannah said to the sister, "Sister, when you n-name h-him." She said, working hard to hold back further tears, "Please give him Dillon for a last name please. It was his father's middle name and he deserves that much." Hannah was able to get out the words with out crying. Then she walked away, hurrying to catch up with her parents quietly back into the night towards their buggy.

Sister Bernice watched the girl and her parents walk away before she devoted her full attention to the baby in her arms. Looking down at the wee lad she fully uncovered his head, taking in his dark wispy hair and round cherub face. Slowly, she let her mind wander over all the great men in the bible. Slowly she ran through names, Daniel, Joseph, Mark, Luke, John, Matthew. As the name Matthew crossed her mind, she looked down at the baby and then at Sister Sara who had just walked into the room. "Sara, what do you think of a name for this wee one?"

"I don't know. The last baby boy that we had come in we named John, so I suppose we shouldn't have two John's." Sara said, coming over to look at the baby in Bernice's arms. "My, what a darling boy. Where did he come from?"

"A young girl and her parents. She said that he's four days old." Bernice said.

"Hmm…yes. Well to do family?" Sara asked, continuing to look down at the bundle of baby in Bernice's arms.

"Yes." Sister Bernice said. "It's sad when it happens to those girls too."

Sara sighed and looked at the baby again, "Yes it is. Probably more so, because those parents will take that girl home and they'll pretend that it never happened. They'll no more remember this baby than this little one could remember all the names of the patron saints." She said.

Sister Bernice laid the boy down and began to unwrap him, finding that he was clean and well dressed in a sleep shirt. She checked is bottom to make sure that it was still dry and then kissing him lightly, wrapped him back up and took him up the stairs to put him down with the other children for the night.

2 years later….

"Matthew!" Sister Sara called, watching the boy as he toddled across the front yard. It was April and a lovely day. "Matthew, come back child."

The boy stopped and smiled back at her. "Hee!" he said before he turned around and came back to Sara. Scooping him up into her arms, she kissed a chubby cheek and again wondered why the people that came to adopt always passed him over. He was an adorable child, dark curls, and big blue eyes. What kind of plan did God have for this wee one that didn't include him going to a loving home with two parents who would love him and raise him as their own? She wondered that each time a young couple came in to adopt a child, looking over each one as if they were buying a horse and each time passing over little Matthew. Sara could have cried when the last couple came. Matthew had been sitting in the line of children, there were five of them this time, and Matthew, the poor boy, was sitting there, all smiles as the mother-to-be looked over each child and then made her choice, their dear sweet little Mary. While Sara was very happy that Mary went to a good home, she had felt badly for Matthew. Poor Matthew had looked as if he were going to cry, he held his little arms out to the woman and she ignored him. Totally ignored him. How could any one overlook such a sweet child? Sister Sara knew she wasn't supposed to be having those kinds of thoughts but she always did about the children, especially the ones that stayed with them for any extended period of time.

"What are we going to do with you, hmm, Matthew?" she asked the little boy in his arms.

His response was to pat her face with his chubby hands and laugh.

Sara set him down and took his hand. "Alright little one, it's time to go back and play with the other children."

As they slowly made their way back to where the other three children were playing Sara thought about all of them. Since Matthew had come to them as a four day old baby a lot had happened. For one, Sister Bernice, rest her soul, had passed on. Her replacement, Sister Margaret was a much harder woman and had since forbade the sisters from becoming attached to the children that were in their care. However, for as long as Matthew had been there, it was hard to not become attached to him. Now to make things worse, the orphanage was going to be closed down and these children would be scattered to the four winds and well, Sara was afraid, she would loose track of this child that had become so special to her.

Six Years Later….Frankton Orphanage

Eight year old Matthew Dillon had been moved again. When he was three he had been moved from the Lawrence Orphanage to a foster family that had four other children, all under the age of six, after that he had been moved to another family that had more older children, then it was off to another orphanage and now here. All of his possessions were on his back and in his hand was a small wooden train that had been given to him when he was two years old by one of the sisters at the Lawrence Orphanage where he had lived until he was three years old. Now he was eight. A polite, quiet boy who mostly stayed to himself. That was until trouble found him, which seemed to be more often than not. As it was now, Matt was about to get himself into trouble again. Setting the small train down on a stump he walked up to Danny O'Toole and prepared himself to do battle.

Danny was two years older and at least one hundred and fifty pounds heavier than Matt, who while he was tall, was slight of build. Danny was a bully and often picked on the younger children, including Matt and especially the girls. The bullying was what started today's altercation. Matt raised his fist and drowned out the jaunts, cheers and jeers from the other boys that now surrounded him and Danny in a circle. He took the first punch to his jaw, feeling his head snap back and his world went black.

Luke was getting worried about the younger boy that he had pulled out of the fight with Danny O'Toole. Luke was the oldest child in the orphanage at the time but had been planning for several weeks now to run away. He was tired of the chores, beatings and all the other things that went along with being an unwanted child. He sat and watched closely, worrying the younger boy might not wake up after being knocked out by Danny. He wanted to tell the boy that he had taken care of Danny and he wouldn't be picking on him or anyone else for a while, that was if he didn't want to get into trouble with the foster father.

Watching and waiting, Luke was glad to see the other boy begin to stir. He knew that he had just come to this orphanage, most likely from the looks of him, another orphanage. That was sad, it was bad enough that Luke was in here but he always hated seeing the little kids in these places. It was then that the idea struck him; maybe he could get this other boy to come with him, to run away and join a round-up or some other adventure.

The younger boy sat up, looking confused as his sight landed on Luke. The boy looked like he was still ready and able to do battle so he said hurriedly, "My name is Luke, what yourin'?"

"Matt." The younger boy said.

"Nice to meet you Matt. Say you took quite a punch back there, what was that all about anyway?'

Matt just shook his head. "I'm not sure." Matt said, shaking his head as if to clear it. "I just got here a while ago." Then he stood up and began dragging his foot through the dirt. "I sure wish that I could get outta here."

This gave Luke the perfect opportunity. "Can you keep quiet?"

"Sure I can." Matt said, looking at the older boy.

"I'm plannin' to run away, get out of here and go get a job. I don't need to takin' care of anymore anyhow." Luke said.

Matt's eyes lit up at the idea. "You thinkin' ya could use a partner?"

"Sure, I am." Luke said.

Matt struggled to his feet and stuck out his hand. "Then I'm it."

Luke and Matt became good friends after that and spent a lot of time together. They were planning their escape carefully, though they were sure that the foster parents wouldn't really notice or care if they were gone. Still the boys had to plan their escape carefully and bide their time.

Hey all—suggestions are always welcome. Also I need a yay or nay on the title for this story. If I get a better suggestion I will change it. Thanks!