The Fugitives

I don't own these characters; I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

Author's Note: This is a continuation of sorts of the Season 14 Episode "The Prisoner". Original air date 03/17/1969 Written by Calvin Clements, directed by Leo Penn.

Mathison County in MO is completely fictional, therefore anything that occurs and the terrain it occurs in, is purely imaginary.

I must also give high praise and thanks to LadyBrit for her advice on all things medical.

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Kitty sat back on the uncomfortable stage coach seat, unsuccessfully trying to relax on her journey home. Though the trip had been productive, business wise, it sure hadn't been much fun without Matt along, as he had promised to be.

Wearily she rested her head on the back of the hide covered seat and tried to shake off the irritation of once again having their plans disrupted by Matt's wife, the badge. This time had been so close too. They were both at the stage office, just about to step on, when that damn telegram had come.

"Sorry, Kitty," he had mumbled, for what seemed the thousandth time in their relationship, eyes darting everywhere but her face. "New trial's been set for the Jennings boy. They want me there to testify again."

Angrily, Kitty had waved him off and waved goodbye, as she had huffily climbed on board by herself, and set off for St. Louis.

Alone.

Again.

Thinking about it now though, she felt a little guilty about her reaction. She knew Matt had a job to do, and she had long ago accepted that, when she had accepted him into her heart. Besides, it wasn't that he intentionally tried to avoid trips with her.

Sighing, she closed her eyes, knowing any attempt at sleep was futile, but hoping for at least some respite from the nagging headache, that was currently pecking at her temples.

This would be one pleasure trip, she would be glad to have over.

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Matt stood among the tombstones and weeds looking about him, as he often did when needing to think. But he really wasn't seeing the weathered boards or the waist high grasses. His mind was a million miles away. Well, actually not even that far depending on how many miles the stage had traveled.

He kept remembering the injured expression on her beautiful face as she had boarded the stage to St. Louis. Though she had said nothing, and had even graciously waved goodbye as the stage pulled away, he saw the hurt in her saddened azure eyes. He had done it again.

Once again his badge had taken precedence over his life and his promises to her. But it wasn't just the look she gave him that was bothering him. Something playing on edge of his consciousness was nagging him today. He had a bad feeling and he knew it had something to do with Kitty, beyond the normal concern when Kitty was anywhere near a stage coach.

Taking one last look around him, Matt turned and headed back to Dodge, and the Long Branch.

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Sam leaned heavily against the gleaming mahogany bar of the Long Branch, and looked around the quiet saloon. Seemed, it was always quiet, when Miss Kitty wasn't there. Or at least, it was to him.

Over the years, Sam had come to care quite a bit, for the striking red headed girl that had hired him and trusted him with so much. Of course, he knew, she didn't consider herself to be a girl any longer, but he still did.

A beautiful girl, who could light up a room, simply by walking through. He knew as well though, that the Marshal, who had just come in, felt the same way about her and more. And when she was gone, as she was now, the Marshal was not a happy man.

Looking at him, as he walked over to sit with Doc, Festus and Newly, Sam could see just how unhappy he was by the slump of his shoulders, and the morose look on his face.

Doc saw it too, as did Festus and Newly, and all three men understood his mood. It wasn't just the fact that she wasn't there. It was that he wasn't with her, as he should've been, as he had promised to be.

Though little was said between the four men, it was plainly evident, that their minds were all focused on the one person not there. And because little was said, none of them knew that each one was feeling the same feelings and thinking the same thoughts.

Kitty Russell wasn't there, and neither the law man nor the town, would be alright, until she returned.

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"Sure do hope this rig doesn't break down before we reach Kansas" Kitty heard the drummer, sitting across from her, say. Considering she was the only other passenger, she assumed he was speaking to her. But as she had her eyes closed, and had been pretending sleep, it could be that he was speaking to himself.

Cracking softly blue-shaded eyelids open, her bright sapphire eyes peered across to the seat opposite. Nope, he was speaking to her. "I beg your pardon?" she feigned ignorance.

"I said, I sure do hope we don't break down, before we reach Kansas," he repeated. "Unless I'm mistaken, we're in Mathison County, Missouri. Heard some bad things about this county and the man that runs it. Heard he's a bear when he's crossed."

Kitty didn't reply as her heart sank and her mouth ran dry. Bob Mathison still ran Mathison County, and Bob Mathison didn't care for Kitty Russell in the slightest. She had crossed him about a year ago, and she doubted he had forgotten it.

Thinking back, she remembered the look on Mathison's face, when she had refused to surrender Steven Downing to him, after she had won custody of the young man in a poker game.

The fact that she had cheated Jarvis, the bounty hunter and Mathison's lackey, to get Steven didn't matter to her. She just refused to allow the boy that had saved her life, to be hung by a vengeful Bob Mathison, for what was basically an accident.

But of course Mathison didn't see it that way. His wife was dead and he wanted Steven to pay. If Matt hadn't gotten that federal warrant, granting a new trial outside of Mathison County, and shot Bob Mathison in the arm, Steven would have been unjustly hung.

But Matt had once again saved the day; the end result had been a new trial and acquittal for Steven and an enemy for Kitty and Matt, in Missouri.

Shaking her head, she joined the drummer in his prayers for a safe, and speedy, trip out of Missouri and into Kansas.

TBC