Author's Note: I approached this story as though I had my fantasy job as a staff writer for Gunsmoke and was pitched the basic plot for Kitty's Love Affair. I loosely kept some of the original ideas but changed most of it to fix the things I didn't like, including a title I never thought was accurate. This might have been the way I would have ended the series as a writer. The 19th Season episode was written by Paul Savage, with the story credited to Joan Gessler and Susan Kotar. I don't own these characters except the ones I made up, one in particular inspired by a very special man.

Kitty's Love Story

Chapter 1

Kitty Russell quickly wiped the moisture from her eyes before climbing onto the stage and taking her seat across from her lone traveling companion. He was a stranger, a handsome man with kind features and thick salt and pepper hair underneath the fancy black hat that matched his suit. The man nodded politely and she returned the gesture.

The stage pulled away in silence as Kitty clutched a large handbag on her lap. She looked sadly at the empty seat beside her and slowly set the handbag in its place. They had paid for that seat, so she might as well get some use out of it.

As she watched the Kansas plains scroll by through the small window, Kitty began to have second thoughts about her trip. She had made the decision to carry on alone so quickly, in a single burst of anger and frustration. How could he do this to her again? She felt as though the tears might begin to resurface, but she willed them away. Not in front of this strange man, she told herself. Be strong.

The driver pushed his team up to full speed, and Kitty could feel every bump in the road as the stage jostled from side to side. It had been funny when Matt was sitting next to her and they had taken turns falling into each other's laps. But now it was just annoying, and the next stop was a good hour away. At least the wheel hadn't fallen off and they hadn't been held up. Kitty's track record in that area was not to be envied, and she was almost tempted to chuckle at the fact that getting stood up for a long awaited vacation was one of the better things that had happened to her on a stage. Almost tempted, but not quite.

A divot in the road sent her handbag sailing off its seat, hitting the nice looking stranger square in the knee. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry," Kitty apologized, reaching for the bag. I'll hold it from now on."

The man flashed a beautiful smile, showing a set of perfect white teeth. "It's quite all right, Ma'am," he assured her in a strong, baritone voice that sounded as if he could be a stage actor. It was a soothing voice that instantly relaxed her. With the ice broken, he decided to introduce himself to the lovely woman with whom he was sharing this bumpy ride.

"By the way, my name is Bill Dunlap," he offered warmly, tipping his hat.

"Kitty Russell," she returned in an equally friendly voice. "Nice to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise," he replied. "Where are you headed?"

"Kansas City," she answered without further explanation. "How about you?"

"I'm afraid I'm getting off at Tanner's Creek," he said, referring to the next stop. "Had I known what charming company I would have, I might have planned a longer trip."

Kitty was no stranger to flattery. She had always been beautiful, and men were not shy about telling her so. She was also smart enough to know when flattery had ulterior motives, and this didn't feel like one of those times. Bill Dunlap seemed like a genuine, likeable man. She was rather grateful for the company at a time when she desperately needed a diversion.

"Do you live in Tanner's Creek?" she asked with interest.

"No, I currently live in Kinsley. But I'm looking to move to Tanner's Creek," he replied. "Starting over, so to speak."

"How so?" she continued, immediately wondering if the question was too personal for someone she had just met.

Bill didn't seem to mind. "My wife died two years ago," he explained. "I kept thinking that I would get used to wandering around that big farm house by myself, but I didn't. Too many memories. It's time to move anyway, I can't work the farm like I used to. So I've decided to sell it and get myself a smaller place. My uncle in Tanner's Creek is moving in with his daughter since he can't take care of himself anymore, and she thinks his place would be perfect for me. Maybe a change of scenery is just what I need."

Kitty wasn't sure what kind of answer she had expected, but somehow it wasn't that one. "I'm sorry about your wife," she said, her voice soft and serious. "You must miss her an awful lot."

"Every day," he admitted. "We were just kids when we married. I had thirty years with her, and I'd venture to say most men don't get one day with a woman like her. When I look at it that way, I count myself among the most fortunate. That's how I keep going."

Kitty swallowed a lump in her throat, unable to think of an appropriate response. After an awkward silence, Bill decided to lighten the mood. "Well, enough of that," he said almost cheerfully. "Tell me more about yourself—are you married?"

"No," she replied quickly, in a way that told Bill this was most definitely not a mood lightening question.

"Please forgive me if I said something wrong. Are you widowed as well?" he guessed.

It was a reasonable assumption on his part. Women her age were typically married or widowed. There didn't seem to be a word that described her relationship status—there never had been. Of course he didn't know that, and he certainly didn't deserve to be punished for it.

"I've never been married," she responded in a less defensive tone.

Bill tried to hide it, but his expression was nothing less than mild shock. It was hardly a funny topic, but somehow Kitty was amused at his reaction. "I take it that surprises you?"

"Well, I…yes, I suppose so. I mean, you're…well, I'm sure you know what you look like," he stammered. "It's just hard to believe that some man didn't snatch you up a long time ago."

"Some man did," she deadpanned. "He just didn't marry me."

Her new friend clearly didn't know what to say, and Kitty decided that her complicated love life was not the most practical of subjects for casually passing the time. Perhaps it was her turn to try a little levity.

"Speaking of things that are hard to believe, I have to tell you I would never have guessed that you are a farmer," she told him. "You look more like a banker or a lawyer in that suit."

Bill Dunlap flashed that winning smile again. "Interesting you should say that. I once studied to be a lawyer."

"Did you really? That seems like quite a career switch, from a lawyer to a farmer," she observed.

"Well, they both involve a lot of crap," he joked, immediately turning a light shade of red. "I'm sorry, that was crude."

Kitty let out one of her delightful cackles. "And funny as hell," she added, to his relief. They apparently shared the same sense of humor.

"I was in law school for less than a year when my father left the family. Mother drank a lot and my little sister was still at home, and I felt I had no choice but to come back and run the farm. I never left it."

"That must have been difficult for you," she sympathized. "Did you ever resent having to quit school?"

"I did at first," he admitted. "I had wanted to be a lawyer for as long as I could remember. But if I hadn't left school and come home, I would never have met my wife. She became pregnant shortly after we married and I had to make a living for us. I realize now that it was a blessing in disguise. I learned to love that farm, and we had a wonderful life. I've been very lucky." His voice cracked slightly on that last sentence. The life he'd had with his wife was clearly an emotional topic for him.

Kitty smiled. Life did have a way of taking you places you never even knew you wanted to be. Of course, it also had a way of pulling the rug out from under you on occasion.

"Well, that suit looks very nice on you," she said, getting back to her original comment.

"You don't think it's too much? I wasn't sure what to wear. I guess I want to make a good impression in my new home town."

Kitty laughed. "I don't think that will be a problem at all, Mr. Dunlap."

"Bill," he corrected. "And thank you for that."

The rest of the journey went quickly as the two shared easy conversation. Bill talked about his two sons, who had both moved east in search of opportunities other than farming. They were both successful, and she could tell that he was he was very proud of them. Kitty entertained him with stories of running a saloon in rough and tumble Dodge City and the friends she had made there over the years. She didn't mention everyone.

As the stage slowed to a stop at the Tanner's Creek depot, the two travelers took several minutes to finish their conversation, then thanked each other for the pleasant company during the ride. "Good luck to you, Mr.—I mean, Bill," Kitty said amiably.

"And to you, Kitty" he echoed. "Have a safe trip the rest of the way to Kansas City. If you ever decide to spend some time in Tanner's Creek—well, I would be delighted if we met again."

The stage driver stuck his head through the window to update his passengers. "One of the horses on the next team has thrown a shoe. We may be delayed a bit while I get that taken care of."

Kitty sighed and again silently questioned her decision. It's just a thrown shoe, she told herself, nothing to get upset about. It wasn't like she needed to be in Kansas City by a certain time.

Bill stepped out of the stage, and Kitty was surprised to see how tall he was. Somehow he hadn't looked that tall sitting across from her. "Care to stretch your legs for a bit?" he asked, extending his hand to help her down. "It sounds like it may be a while."

She certainly did. Kitty stepped onto the ground with his assistance and put her hands on her hips, leaning back to work a few kinks out of her shoulders. It was still a long way to Kansas City, and she wondered if she could possibly get as lucky with her company on the next leg of the trip.

Bill started to walk to the other side of the stage to retrieve his luggage. He had taken three steps when he heard a loud scream and the unmistakable click of a gun hammer. He spun around to see a grimy young man with his elbow around Kitty's neck and a gun pointed at her head.

The man looked deadly serious as he calmly spoke to Bill. "If you don't want to see your pretty lady's head splattered on the side of this stage, I suggest you do exactly as I say."

TBC