Growing Old with Kitty
by
Lilyjack
This is a Disciple fic, suggested and titled by DK and inspired in part by anotherredhead's inventive alternate reality fic about the same episode, plus a little sad, romantic cowboy music thrown into the mix. Immense thanks goes to my three invaluable betareaders, DK, glow1012 and singerme, for helping me work out the crazy plot details and steering me back on course whenever I wandered offtrack. Dialogue from "The Disciple", written by Shimon Wincelberg, directed by Gunnar Hellstrom, original air date April 1, 1974, has been abridged to fit within the confines of this story. This is a work of fiction. I have taken great liberties with factual historical details to suit my plot needs, i.e. boatloads of dramatic license. Just roll with it.
ljljljljlj
Chapter 1
"Leavin' for Good"
"This doesn't mean I'm leavin' for good, you know." Matt hadn't quite been able to look Kitty straight in the eye when he'd said that, and it bothered her.
"It doesn't mean you're comin' back, either." She'd dared him to deny it, and he hadn't. Her heart had plummeted with his ominous silence and she'd been forced to valiantly hold back the tears of fear and frustration that were building in her chest.
And then he'd left. Without a goodbye kiss. Without a goodbye. Only an impersonal, "I'll be in touch." No promises from Matt Dillon, no sirree. No guarantees. Just him doing things "my way." Oh, he was so pig-headed and selfish sometimes.
That last conversation had echoed in Kitty's head incessantly that afternoon while she busily polished the already spotless glasses and furiously wiped down a bar that was not really dirty. Suddenly someone touched her arm and she jumped, nearly startled out of her skin.
"Miz Kitty, you okay?" Festus asked, his normally squinty eyes wide and bristly face filled with concern. "You was just a million miles away from here. I said howdy and you didn't hear me a'tall."
Kitty placed a hand on her chest. "I'm so sorry, Festus. I didn't even know anyone was in here."
Festus soothed her in his nasally voice, "Now you jest come on over here and set yerself down fer a spell. Yer a' gonna take the finish clean off the top o' that there bar if you don't slow down a mite."
She started to shake her head, but Festus added firmly, "I won't take no fer an answer. Come on now..."
Throwing down her towel, Kitty sighed in resignation and grabbed the coffee pot. "Would you care for a cup?"
"Why, thank ya', Miz Kitty. That sounds real good." He glanced knowingly at her troubled features and pulled out two chairs. "Let's us set down at this here table and put our feet up, what ya' say?"
Festus scooted her chair in as she seated herself, then settled with a jangle of spurs into his own chair, slurping at his hot coffee cautiously. "Things shore has been busy around here fer me these days with Matthew gone." He eyed her over the rim of his cup. "When do you think he might come back?"
She felt a mutinous lump forming in her throat and her eyes began burning. She'd cried herself to sleep the night before but had made herself a promise this morning she wouldn't waste any more tears or time worrying. But that was a foolish promise and she knew it. "I really don't know, Festus."
"You mean he didn't even tell you, Miz Kitty?"
Her voice broke when she spoke, "No...he didn't."
Festus could see her eyes filling with tears and it pained him to no end. He patted her arm and spoke gently, "Now, Miz Kitty, don't you fret none. Matthew can take care of hisself."
"I know, Festus, it's just..." She pulled a lace-edged handkerchief from the cuff of her sleeve and wiped away a tear that had managed to escape.
Festus's eyes narrowed and he felt a lump in his own throat as he watched his onliest purty lady friend in such distress. "What is it, Miz Kitty?" he urged.
"Festus, I'm really afraid. I'm afraid that this time he won't come back."
"Aw, now, don't you think that...?" Voices from outside in the street carried into the bar, their tone threatening.
Festus and Kitty looked at each other, then hurried to the door and peered out. It was the outlaw gang that had robbed the bank and injured Matt's gun arm, shattering it. One of them had a rifle aimed at Newly. Their leader demanded, "All we want is Matt Dillon. Now where is he?" Festus realized there were way too many of them for him to fight. They'd kill his friend if he tried anything.
Newly answered cautiously, "He's not here anymore."
"Now don't you lie to me, boy. I hate a liar like I hate poison. Now I want you to tell me where he is before I blow you apart."
Inside the Long Branch, Festus silently drew his pistol and then felt Kitty's hand on his arm. She murmured anxiously, "Don't do anything, Festus, while Newly's still out there."
He kept his eye on the street while he reassured her, "No, I won't, Miz Kitty."
Angrily, the outlaw demanded of Newly, "Where did he go?"
Kitty's skin prickled with a feeling of déjà vu. Jude Bonner had been looking to hurt Matt Dillon when he came to Dodge a year ago, when he had gathered hostages and threated to cut old Woody Lathrop's throat.
Newly replied evenly, "He didn't tell us."
Kitty's heart dropped into her stomach when she heard the outlaw's next words. "Now...I hear he's got a woman." Festus, a wary look in his eye, slowly glanced back at her as they listened to their leader question Newly further, "Would she know?"
Newly insisted, "Nobody knows."
Kitty felt physically sick with the outlaw's demand, "Maybe I'll ask her and find out. Now where is she?" The trigger of the gun aimed at Newly's head was pulled back as the leader threatened, "You got about two more seconds."
Nightmarish memories flooded over Kitty, drenching her instantly in a sheen of cold sweat. It was Bonner all over again. Desperate men were going to slaughter her friend unless she stepped forward. Inside, she was panicking, her blood sluicing icily through her veins and her head spinning at the thought of confronting the murderous outlaws. She was trying not to think of what had happened to her a year ago as a result of coming forward. Matt had not been able to save her then, either. But in spite of the fact that she was inwardly frightened, outwardly her expression remained calm. "Festus," she breathed. "I've got to go out there..."
Fretfully, Festus implored, "No, Miz Kitty, please..."
She murmured, "I've got no choice. They'll kill Newly if I don't." Kitty shrugged his hand from her arm and stepped hesitantly to the door. She could hear Festus's trigger cocking behind her. Her legs felt weak as she pushed out the swinging doors onto the boardwalk...
"I'm here," she announced...to two young bucks who hardly looked old enough to be shaving. She shook her head in bewilderment. Where was Newly? And the outlaw gang?
"Whooweee! We sure are glad you're here, little gal! Come on over and give us a kiss, whatcha' say?"
Kitty daintily placed a hand on her hip and one brow in the air. "Excuse me? Who do you think you're speaking to?"
The taller boy with sandy hair answered, "You, sweetheart! You new in town?"
The mischievous, freckle-faced, shorter one added, "Naw, Lionel, I ain't never seed her before. I woulda' noticed her fer sher."
Kitty's eyes darted around her surroundings. Where the hell was she? This wasn't Dodge. Her face flushed hot and she felt disoriented.
The young men loped over, putting their arms around her shoulders and waist. "Aww, what'sa matter, honey? You look lost."
Lost was right. Across the street was a mercantile she'd never set foot in before. Next door was an unfamiliar tonsorial parlor. Next to the mercantile was Freemont's Bank. She spoke in a whisper, "Where am I?"
The freckle-faced boy commented impishly, "Lionel, I think she might possibly be a tad bit drunk."
Lionel answered, "Oh, you idjit, she ain't drunk. She's just a little confused. Maybe she's sick. Yer in Brushy Heap, honey! How'd you get here?"
At that moment, Kitty turned and looked back where the Long Branch should have been. She was staring into the plate glass window of a tobacconist's shop instead. But what she was actually looking at was her own reflection in the window. She reached up and touched her face, her hair, her body-it was all...different. But the same. Her knees felt weak as she realized that she appeared exactly as she had thirty long years before. Her expression was stunned as she repeated to her younger self in the window, "How'd I get here? I don't rightly know, boys..."
tbc
ljljljlj
