A/N: this story would not have been possible with out SingerMe, who graciously gave me the plot to this Missing Moment, thank you my friend. Murry Christmas.

**MK**

Kitty sat down heavily in the chair at the small table in her office, after Emma Grundy, and Judge Brooker left her office. She looked disconsolately down at Emma's account book, as a rotten feeling settled in her stomach. Kitty felt awful for setting Emma up the way she did as she started thumbing through the pages of the book. Kitty slowly closed her eyes and shook her head thinking that if she hadn't been so quick to judge Emma things wouldn't be such a mess. Here Emma had trusted Kitty enough to share the truth of how much she struggled to fed, cloth, and house the children, and Kitty had inadvertently betrayed that trust.

Kitty knew she wasn't directly responsible for the orphaned children, but she still felt like she was now because without her interference Emma would still be in charge of making sure those children had something far more important than just a Christmas party. Looking at the books again, Kitty decided to see if she could fix what she had done. Kitty turned and looked at Titus, who was still standing in the doorway. "Titus could you come over here there is something I want to show you." Titus took a seat next to Kitty at the table, and Kitty carefully explained why Emma could not give the children a Christmas.

"By gum and here I thought ol' Emmy was just cold hearted. I sure feel awful about what I said to her, and taking the children." Titus commented with remorse.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Titus. Emma didn't share this information with anyone."

"Exceptin' you Miss Russell, and I thank you kindly for telling me. It seems that the children and I owe Emmy a big apology."

"Well Titus, I have done more damage then that. I have cost Emma her job."

"Miss Kitty that Judge Brooker seems like a nice enough fellow. I'm sure once you talk to him you can straighten every thing out."

"I intend to do just that Titus, but first you and I need to talk to the children."

"Yeah they need to apologize to Emma too, and they ain't gonna do that less'n they know the whole story."

"Exactly. So I want you to round up the children and meet me at Doc's, okay?"

"Right away, Miss Kitty."

As soon as Titus left the office Kitty quickly grabbed Emma's papers and book, donned her red cape and headed out the door.

Kitty clutched her cape tightly and bowed her head against the cold as she hurried down the board walk towards the jail. She only got a few steps when she literally ran into Matt who was coming out of Lathrop's the general store.

"Whoa, there Kitty where are you off to in such a hurry?" Matt asked as he grabbed ahold of Kitty to keep from knocking her down.

"Oooof. Oh Matt! I was just coming to see you."

Matt saw the worry written across Kitty's face. "What's wrong, Kitty?"

Kitty looked around to see who was near them. "I think we better have this conversation in your office," and she started walking towards the jail with Matt right behind her.

"You did what?!" Matt growled as he towered over Kitty, who was sitting across from him at the table with Emma's books open in front of her. Matt took a deep breath to calm himself. "Kitty didn't you promise me that you wouldn't interfere?"

Kitty stood up and placed her palms flat on the table top and leaned towards Matt. "I promised you that no women's vigilante groups would try and take the kids away from Emma and they didn't!" Realizing that she was letting herself get worked up, Kitty took a slow breath. "Look Matt, these kids have no family and I felt they deserved to at least have a Christmas."

"But at the cost of Miss Grundy being removed? Was giving those kids a Christmas worth that, Kitty?"

Matt's words struck Kitty hard. "Of course not!" Kitty fought to keep tears from forming in her eyes. "What I did was wrong, I acted without having all the facts. I now know that Emma has been doing the best she could to provide for those kids with the meager amount of money she is given to do it with." Kitty walked around the table and stood next to Matt, placing her hand on his upper arm. "I am trying to correct that mistake Matt, and I would like your help."

Seeing the hint of tears shimmer in Kitty's eyes took all the bluster out of Matt. "What would you like me to do?" Matt asked as he wrapped his arms around Kitty.

Kitty have Matt a quick hug, "Would you be willing to send a wire to some important people in Topeka that would help the orphanage to improve it's funding?"

Matt gave Kitty a huge smile, "Of course I will."

TBC