Not For the Taking

By Leighann

I don't own the rights to the characters, but am just taking them off the dusty shelf for a bit. No beta so any mistakes are mine. I don't own the rights to the characters, nor do I make any profit just taking them off the dusty shelf for a bit of fun.

**DO TO MAUTURE THEME READER DISCRESION IS ADVISED.**

~~KM~~

Before Kitty's mind registered Mannon moving, his right hand struck out and slapped her. She felt the pain in her left check as the force of the slap threw her into the shelf of beer glasses next to the bar. Kitty felt the pain in her cheek as she fell to the floor landing hard on her knees. Her mind raced as she heard Mannon coming towards her, she quickly grabbed a broken beer mug and raised up to face him. As Will Mannon reached out to grab her, Kitty's eyes snapped open.

She blinked her eyes a few times before they landed on Matt lying in the bed in Doc's back room after Doc successfully removed the bullet from Matt's left shoulder. She stood up and gently placed her hand on Matt's forehead checking it for fever. Finding his skin cool to the touch, she quietly slipped out of the room into the outer office.

As Kitty walked to the stove, Doc looked up from the book he was reading. He noted how her shoulder's drooped slightly and her walk was a bit lethargic. Doc walked up next to Kitty and took a coffee mug off the hook by the stove, took the coffee pot out of Kitty's hand, poured coffee into the mug then setting the pot back on the stove. He took Kitty by the elbow and walked her over to the chair next to his desk. He waited as Kitty carefully sat herself in the chair before handing her the coffee mug before taking a seat himself.

"I want you to go back to your room and rest."

"I'm not going anywhere until I know Matt's okay."

"Kitty, Matt's going to be fine. I'm more worried about you at the moment."

Kitty gave Doc an incredulous look, "Me?"

Doc swiped at his chin, " Yes you, young lady! Or have you forgotten-" Doc stopped suddenly as Kitty's eyes snapped up at him. "Kitty, I-"

"Don't," Kitty stood up, pausing to let the sharp pain in her lower abdomen subside that her sudden movement caused. When the pain diminished back into a dull persistent ach she placed her coffee cup on the desk. "I think I will go get some rest. Will you let me know when Matt wakes up?"

Doc nodded his head, and then watched Kitty walk to the door stopping as she put her hand on the doorknob. She spoke so softly that Doc almost didn't hear her, "I wish I could forget." And then slipped out the door.

Doc sat there staring at the door wishing he could go after Kitty, but he couldn't leave Matt alone yet. 'Damn Will Mannon.' He thought, hoping the man will hang for all the harm he had inflicted.

"Doc?"

Doc was startled out of his thoughts when he heard Matt speak behind him. He turned around and saw Matt leaning against the doorframe. "What in thunder are you doing out of bed?" he admonished.

Matt ignored the question. "I heard the two of you talking. What's wrong with Kitty? Is she ill?"

"Kitty wa…She'll be ok, Matt."

Matt met Doc's eyes and saw the deep worry. "You said she'd be ok, what are you not telling me?" He looked at Doc, silently pleading with him.

Doc drew in a deep breath, it pained him to say this to Matt. "Last night…Mannon…she was…was attacked by Mannon."

"What? Attacked her how, Doc?"

Doc swiped at his chin as he considered how much to tell Matt.

Matt's voice held an edge to it. "I want the complete truth, Doc."

"Mannon beat her up, and he…" The old man dropped his head, "he raped her."

TBC