Chapter 1
The Consequences of a Storm
Hello, once again, I am writing about my favorite western Couple. Matt Dillon and Kitty Russell. You will have to bare with me as this is really an odd story. I'm not even sure where I got this crazy idea from, but I am writing it anyway. Again, please forgive any errors. I think that this one may be a bit of a slow starter, but if you give it a chance, you may find it to be fair. This one is not rated Mature, there isn't much to it. But that's what I always say and the stories seem to become alive and create themselves. :) KR ps, Remember, all feedback is greatly appreciated.
Spoilers: There are no spoilers, but once again, it is a continuing saga of Hostage, or another view on the aftermath of the violence that occurred in Hostage.
Sitting at her desk, Kitty looked through her books, trying to get them straightened out as she had not been working on them for almost 2 months, and had no idea what her profits were if any. Business had been booming, but after her ordeal with Jude Bonner and his men, two months ago, she had put little time into the Long Branch. Her body shivered in fear as the image of Jude Bonner came to her mind. He was a big man. About six foot tall, a good 200 pounds of muscle. And brutal. As she sat there she remembered his words, "I won't lay a hand on you, but you will pay." He lied of course; he had been the first one to take her. Dragging her to his tent, as she desperately tried to fight and get away. He had slammed her down onto the cot, she had been tied to earlier and then took from her body, what he wanted and thought he was owed due to Virgil's death. Tears streamed down Kitty's face as she heard her own cries in her head as Jude Bonner was on top of her seeking his release.
A knock at the door startled Kitty out of her nightmare and she quickly swiped at the tears on her face.
"Miss Kitty, Miss Kitty, are you alright?" Sam said as he poked his head in the door just as Kitty stood and closed the book she had been working on.
"Yes, Sam, I'm fine. What is it?" She asked as she glanced back and smiled slightly for him, then turned back and began to pile the three books together. She took the metal box, which held the money from the Long Branch and closed it.
"Marshal Dillon and Festus are here, they said something about going to lunch and wanted you to join them." He said as she turned around to face him. It was at that moment, that she felt dizzy, her head seemed to swim, and she couldn't quite see straight. Leaning back against the desk, she steadied herself. "Miss Kitty?"
"I'm okay, Sam, just a bit of a headache. Tell the Marshal, I'll be out in a moment." She said looking up at him. Sam smiled at her and headed back into the bar, closing the door as he left.
Straightening up, Kitty gently placed the back of her hand on her forehead and then her cheek. The room seemed a bit warm to her, so some fresh air would probably do her good. Breathing deeply, she straightened up and steadied herself, with her hand on the edge of the desk. After a few moments, she headed out the door. Matt and Festus were leaning against the bar and had been joined by Doc Adams. Smiling, she came around the side of the bar to join her friends. The Saloon was empty except for a lone gambler in the corner playing solitaire. The day was too early for patrons to be buzzing about and she loved it when it was quiet. Mind you, she enjoyed the business too, but the mornings were usually quiet till about three or four in the afternoon and they'd start dragging themselves in. Except when the drovers were in town, and they'd be waiting at the doors as early as eight in the morning waiting to get in and get started on some drinking before they headed back out onto the prairie. She knew that the evening would bring in more money and she'd have to get her books straightened out, but for now, she wanted to sit, talk and laugh with a couple of good friends. Doc smiled at her as she stepped over to the bar.
"Well, good afternoon, pretty Lady, how would you like to accompany three lonely old men to lunch?" Doc said tipping his hat to Kitty. She smiled broadly at him.
"I would be honored, Kind Sir." She laughed as he held out his arm and gently wrapped her hands around his arm as Festus and Matt just stood there watching the two of them head for the door.
"Well, what are you two waiting for, and invitation, let's go." Doc said to the two men, who quickly followed behind him.
"Might as well face it, Festus," Matt began. "Doc always gets the girl." Kitty laughed at Matt as Festus pouted.
"Ole' scudder." He mumbled, not expecting Doc to be able to hear him.
"I may be old, but who has the beautiful redhead on his arm, aye? I don't see her with you. Nope, she knows a gentleman when she sees one." Doc teased.
"Alright you two, that'll be enough. We are going to have a nice quiet, polite lunch, or you can just turn around and take me back to the Long Branch." Kitty said scolding the two men.
"Won't be worth going to Del Monico's ifin' you ain't there to spruce up the place, Miss Kitty." Festus said as they stood on the boardwalk only a few feet from Del Monicos.
"Why Festus, you ole' flatterer." She looked up at Matt who was enjoying the playful banter.
"Well, gentlemen, shall we?" She said looking at Del Monicos. They smiled as Doc continued to lead her into the restaurant. As Kitty stepped down the one step into the restaurant, she stumbled. Doc's quick reflexes grasped her about the waist and Matt was by her side.
"Are you alright?" Matt asked her as she looked up and smiled.
"Sorry, Matt, new shoes." She said pulling the edge of her skirt away to show him the new black shoes she wore. He shook his head, knowing that Kitty liked to buy new shoes every few months, and she always had a heck of a time breaking them in and scuffing the bottoms so that they were not slippery.
As they sat down to eat, Matt pulled Kitty's chair out for her. Jim, the maitre d came over to the table and took their order. Kitty ordered the chicken soup and tea. Doc proceeded to order steak and potatoes, and green beans. Matt and Festus did the same. The only difference was the fact that Festus ordered his rare. They sat and chatted for a little while, waiting for their food. Soon the conversation was held off as the waiter brought their food to them. Kitty had ordered chicken soup and tea, while Doc, Festus and Matt had each ordered a big thick steak and potatoes and green beans. Kitty smiled to herself as the food was set down in front of each of them and they began cutting away at their meat. She was perfectly fine until she saw the red meat and the red juices flowing into Festus's platter. She felt her head spinning and her stomach lurched. Doc noticed that she seemed to be a little flushed in the cheeks.
"Kitty, are you alright?" He asked gently touching her hand on the table. She had closed her eyes for a moment as not to see what Festus was eating, but the smell of the meat was making her feel even worse.
"I'm just not feeling too well right now, Doc. I think, maybe I should go back to the Long Branch to my room to lie down for a bit." She said, her eyes still closed.
By this time, both Matt and Festus had stopped to see what was wrong. "I'll walk you back, Kitty." Matt said setting down his napkin.
"No! No! you stay here and enjoy your lunch. I'm just gonna go lie down for a bit." She said, as Doc stood and pulled her chair out as she stood. As she stood up, she felt the room spin about her and steadied herself by leaning slightly forward on the table. Matt gently grasped her arm, and as she looked up at him, the color drained from her face. Her vision seemed to close in on her again as if she had entered a tunnel and was rapidly closing, as her eyes rolled back. Matt quickly grabbed her about the waist as her body went limp. He lifted her into his strong arms, her tiny form cradled against his chest.
The room was suddenly filled with silent concern for Kitty. Every one of them knowing what price she had paid for being the Marshal's woman. To many, it was too high a price, one that would have made the weak at heart turn tail and run. But she didn't. She couldn't because she loved him so much. He was a part of her soul as he was part of hers.
"Matt, get her up to my office, I'll take a look at her." He said grabbing his hat. Festus grabbed his hat and Matt's and they followed the big lawman out of Del Monicos and to Doc's office.
Doc held the door opened as Matt carried an unconscious Kitty into the office and gently laid her down on the examining table. Matt leaned over Kitty, she looked so pale and he gently caressed her cheek with his hand. After a few seconds, he felt Doc gently nudge his arm and stepped aside for him so he could examine her. Doc began to unbutton her top, when he realized Matt was still standing there. Turning around, he went over to the cabinet, poured Matt a shot of whiskey and shoved him out the door, to the landing where Festus stood waiting as well.
Matt stood on the landing; Festus sat on the step, with his hat in his hands as they waited for Doc. The whiskey had long gone been downed by Matt and he leaned over the railing nervously waiting for some kind of word from Doc. Though it had in fact only been about twenty minutes, to him and Festus, it felt like an eternity.
Kitty sat on the table. Doc walked over to the cabinet and poured Kitty a small glass of whiskey. He walks over to her. She seemed to stare ahead as the tears began to fall. He held out the glass but she did not move to take it. He gently takes her hand, and she looked down as he handed her the glass of whiskey.
"Here, drink this, it'll help." He said. He watched as she sipped the whiskey and began to cry. Doc took the glass and set it down on the table, then gently put his arms around her and pulled her close, allowing her to cry. "Shoooo, it's alright, it's gonna be alright."
"I can't do this, Doc! I can't do this. How do I tell Matt, that the man that raped his woman, also fathered a child?" The tears came in full-force as she cried, her head lying on Doc's shoulder as his hands gently caressed her back.
TBC