Ok I have only written one other story for "Gunsmoke" and while I tried my hardest I guess I didn't do it justice based on the reviews that I received. Please remember that I do this for fun and I am definitely not a professional. I am open to constructive criticism and I may not hit the characters mannerisms totally on the head, that is my mistake and I am sorry. I do the best I can. Thank you and please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters; I am just a young, adamant fan!

Setting: Dodge City, KS

I have written this to be Kitty and Matt's first meeting/introduction, so it would be set before the premiere of Gunsmoke, and the episode "Hack Prine" I also don't know if there was ever a radio show done with this type of story line.

A Match Made in Dodge

Kathleen "Kitty" Russell sat in her normal spot in the Long Branch Saloon. She was waiting for him to walk by; he always seemed to this time of the morning. She had only been in town for a week now and had yet to introduce herself to the tall, young marshal. From the talk that she heard around town, he hadn't been in town long either. Kitty let out a breath and looked down at her coffee cup, if he didn't come by soon, she was going to regret getting up this early just to watch him. She knew the other girls were still upstairs, in their beds, sleeping the morning away, while she sat here waiting for the young marshal to walk by so she could ogle him.

Matthew Dillon had just finished his breakfast at the cafe with his sometimes deputy, Chester, and the town doc. He said his goodbyes to his breakfast companions and made his way down Front Street. He had taken to walking by the Long Branch Saloon on his early morning rounds just to see her. The pretty redhead that was always sitting just inside the door, looking tired as she sipped her morning coffee. Matt still hadn't figured out why she was up so early when he knew that most of the ladies in her profession were still in bed at the hour, but there she was, every day.

He wanted to talk to her, but he didn't feel that stopping on his morning rounds would be a good time. He hadn't been in Dodge all that long and right now he was intent on making a good impression on the good citizens of Dodge. He didn't figure that being seen in the Long Branch visiting with the ladies. He had tried to talk to her at night, when he came into the Long Branch but he always had the bad luck of her being surrounded by five or six other gents.

Kitty had just set her coffee cup down in front of her when she saw the marshal walk by. Screwing up her courage she stood and called out. "Marshal?"

Matt stopped and backed up a couple of step, "Oh, good morning. Can I do something for you?"

"No I just wanted to introduce myself." Kitty said. "I'm Kathleen uhm, Kitty, Russell."

"Nice to meet you Miss Russell." Matt said, extending a hand. "I'm Matt Dillon and I guess you already know that I'm the marshal here in Dodge."

"Uhm, yes, your badge gives it away." Kitty said pulling her hand back after Matt released it.

Matt gave a small laugh and looked down at the shiny badge pinned to his vest. "I guess it does." He said. Then he asked, "So where did you come from Miss Russell?"

"St. Louis. Yourself, Marshal?" Kitty asked tilting her head back to look at him. She knew that he was tall but she hadn't realized that he was that tall.

"Texas, originally." Matt said. "And please, call me Matt."

"Alright, Matt." Kitty said, trying the name out, liking how it sounded to her hears and how it felt being spoken from her lips. "Would you like to sit and have a cup of coffee?" Kitty offered to him, half hoping he would and half hoping he wouldn't.

"Oh, no thank you Miss Russell, I should be getting on with my rounds." Matt said setting his Stetson back on his head and taking a step back towards the door. "Not that I wouldn't want to but duty calls you know." He had felt that he needed to say that, because for just a brief moment he thought he had seen something that looked like disappointment cross the beautiful face of Katherine Russell.

"Please call me Kitty." Kitty said before saying, "It's ok Matt, we'll see each other again soon, I am sure.

"I'll see you later, Kitty." Matt said, tipping his hat and stepping back out through the swinging doors.

If you read this would you please, please review! I use the # of reviews that I receive to gauge the number of readers, thanks so much!