His hands raked her naked body in anger, knowing what was coming next, she squeezed her eyes shut and opened her mouth to scream!

"No!"

Matt sat up in the bed as Kitty trembled beside him.

"Kitty," he said gently once the red head opened her eyes.

"I'm alright, Matt," she said with a half smile that he could barely see from the glow of the moon outside. "It was just a dream."

"About," Matt said softly while gathering her into his arms.

"About him," Kitty replied quietly.

"You haven't dreamed about him in years," Matt said mystified. "Why now?"

"I don't know," Kitty said frightened. "Maybe it has something to do with Abelia. Has Festus talked to you?"

"Only to say that she seems to be handling it well, why?" Matt asked looking into the eyes of his long time love. "What has she told you?"

"It's not what she's said, Matt," Kitty replied thoughtfully. "But her questions, she's looking for answers."

"Why won't she talk to Festus?"

"I guess for the same reason, I didn't talk to you," Kitty said closing her eyes. "She's afraid, he won't love her any more."

Matt hugged the woman tightly as he said a silent prayer for the bond between them to be strong enough to withstand this new hurt before closing his eyes and falling back to sleep in Kitty's arms.

A few hours later, Matt slipped down the back stairs of the Long Branch, though the alley and into the jail via the side door behind his desk.

Putting on a fresh pot of coffee, he silently longed for a time when he and Kitty wouldn't have to sneak around in order to see each other. But they both agreed long ago that as long as Matt was Marshal, any chance of them being together would have to wait.

But, he thought to himself as he watched Newly heading toward the jail, did he have to wait any longer?

Abelia lifted her youngest from the cradle next to her side of the bed that she shared with Festus and then slid back into the covers to nurse him.

According to Doc, at almost five months, the premature baby had just about caught up to where he should be for his age.

Festus swore it was the good Haggen genes that made the little scamp grow so well but Abelia knew it was just purely love and well the genes may have had a little something to do with it.

Once the baby had his fill, Abelia slid out from under the covers as Festus snored softly. She changed the baby before putting him back in the cradle and heading to the kitchen to make her family breakfast.

Robert, the newest member of the family was the first one up. "Good morning," he said taking a seat at the kitchen table.

"Morning," Abelia said with a smile at the well mannered boy. "Going to help Hank today?"

"Yes, ma'am," Robert said sliding on his boots. "Can you tell my father where I'll be?"

"Sure will," Abelia said watching the boy go.

Even though he wasn't hers, she had accepted him into the family and found him to be a great help to both her and Festus. At almost the age of sixteen, the boy was practically a man and worked like one.

In just the few short months he had been there, he and Festus had expanded the house and Hank had found an invaluable helper.

Abelia finished up breakfast just in time for Johnny and Marianne to be getting ready for school.

As per usual, Marianne was promptly at the table ready to eat while Johnny lagged behind.

"Ma, can I quit school and help Robert at Hanks?"

"No sir, you may not!" Festus said stepping out of the bedroom with the baby on his shoulder. "Morning, Bee."

"Don't see why not," Johnny muttered.

"Morning," Abelia said flashing him a quick smile."Because we done told you, an education is the only thing you need to focus on right now!"

"That's right," Festus said gently patting the baby's back.

"But I hate school," Johnny said slowly.

"Ya only hate school cause yer not wantin ta be there," Festus said evenly. "Try puttin forth sum effort and ya may like it more."

"I'll try," Johnny said evenly.

"Wal, that's all we ask," Festus said with a nod as Abelia put a plate in front of him.

"Ma," Marianne said finishing her breakfast. "The fall dance is coming up, are you and Papa going?"

"Now why would you ask that," Abelia said with a slight laugh.

"Cause our teacher was just wondering if the parents were gonna be at the dance," Marianne said. "He'd open the school for the kids."

"Wal ya," Festus said smiling at Abelia. "I'll be takin yer Ma."

"Alright," the ten year old said looking at her brother. "C'mon Johnny, we're going ta be late!"

"That is," Festus said quietly while meeting Abelia's eyes after Johnny and Marianne left. "If ya wantin ta go."

Abelia nodded and took his hand. "Yes," she said with a slight smile. "I do want to go."