TBR7

Kitty rode with Naomi until they reached Abilene. Naomi and her children were going to keep going. Though Naomi had little hope of finding her husband, she vowed to continue on to Colorado anyway. It was their plan and she was sticking to it. She offered to take Kitty with her, remembering Kitty had mentioned wanting to return to San Francisco, but Kitty shook her head. She couldn't explain but she knew the time to go there was not yet, if it ever was. So giving Naomi and her children a hug, along with most of the money she'd taken from Walt, Kitty waved good bye as she got off the wagon and set out to find herself a decent job.

But her ability to obtain a job outside of a saloon, proved woefully lacking and she soon found herself in the Oasis. This place was no better than Turk's place in Blue Eye and a whole lot dirtier. At least Turk had someone sweep the floor occasionally and clean out the spittoons. Here the only time the floors were cleaned was when someone was shot and they were cleaning up the blood. Blood on the floors, even in a place like the Oasis, was never good for business.

But, bad as it was, it was a job.

"Kitty?" Sarah stood next to her, pleading blue eyes and pouting, quivering mouth telling Kitty what she wanted before she even asked. Though Sarah was older than Kitty, she acted a greal deal younger.

"No, Sarah." She shook her head. "I will not take him for you." Kitty glanced over at the rangy stranger at the end of the bar. "He paid Clifford for you, not me."

"I know, Kitty." Sarah whined. "But Sam Baxton is coming over in a little bit and I don't want to miss him." She dropped her voice to a conspiratorial level. "You know, he's been talking about getting married. This could be the time he pops the question."

Kitty looked at her through lowered lashes. "If he's wanting to marry you, he'll wait for you to take care of your customer. He knows what you do for a living."

"But, Kitty…"

Kitty liked the petite blonde, but she hated the whiny tone her voice took on when she was trying to get her way.

"Sarah…"

"Kitty! Get over here." Clifford left no room for argument.

"Coming." Kitty sighed. "Sorry, Sarah." She patted her arm as she turned and headed over to where her boss was standing at the end of the bar, the saloon's books in his hand. "What do you need, Cliff?"

"I need you to straighten out these books." The burly man with a long beard and black eyes shoved the heavy tomes at her. "I can't make heads or tails out of em."

Kitty nodded, took the paperwork and headed into the back room that he used as his office. She much preferred book work, to what Sarah was about to do.

Kitty leaned back as far as the hard chair would allow and stretched her back. It had taken an hour, but she'd finally gotten Clifford's books back in order. She'd told him more than once that if he'd let her handle them full time it wouldn't be that bad and she might actually save him some money. But Clifford refused, saying publically that women didn't have a head for business and privately that she was more valuable to him in other ways.

"Kitty?"

Looking up, she saw Lon, the part time bartender standing at the door. She didn't have to ask. "Who?" She asked.

"Just Slim Drake." He shrugged then added, "he looks pretty down in the mouth."

"Alright." Kitty sighed as she closed the books and got up from the chair.

Slim was a local rancher who came by his name honestly. But what he lacked for in weight, he made up for in muscle. Though he usually only came into the saloon for a drink and a little conversation, occasionally he wanted more. When he did, he was fairly gentle and kind, a rarity in Abilene. Kitty shook her head and headed for the front wondering why he was here so early in the day.

"Slim?" She called when she came into the main bar room. "Good to see you. What brings you in so early? Why, it's hardly four o'clock."

"I know, Kitty." Slim answered in a tone she didn't really recognize. He was usually a lot more jovial than this. "But_ I_ I need some time with ya, Kitty."

He swallowed hard and Kitty understood something was bothering him and he was seeking out her attention in order to ease it.

"What's wrong, Slim?" She asked, not making a move towards the upstairs. "What's got you this way?"

Slim dropped his head and mumbled, "My wife died this morning."

Kitty was stunned. She didn't even know he was married. "You're_ you're wife?"

Slim slowly nodded, raising pleading eyes to her. "Please, Kitty?"

Though just barely eighteen now, Kitty had gained a maturity and wisdom far beyond her years and she knew Slim didn't need what he was asking for. But he was in need. "Come on, Slim." She sighed as she took his hand.

Silently, Slim followed her up the stairs and to her room. However, once the door was closed Kitty made no move towards the bed or him. "Have a seat, Slim." She told him.

Curious as to why they weren't getting down to it, Slim sat down on the bed and watched her as she opened the bottom drawer of a small chest and pulled out a half bottle of cheap whiskey and a glass. "Kitty, if I'd wanted a drink, I'd gotten one down stairs." He protested as he reached for her.

Kitty kept quiet and back from him until she'd poured the drink and placed it in his hand, which, despite his protests, he took. "Slim," she finally spoke. "You don't need this." She gestured to the bed with a pointed look. "It won't make the pain go away, and it won't bring her back and you know it. But talking about it, about her, might help and I'm a mighty good listener."

Slim studied the drink in his hands for a long stretch of time and even took a sip before finally looking up at her. "She was sick." He half whispered. "I_ she_ she was sick for a long time and I couldn't help her. I_ I tried, but there_ there was nothing anyone could do. I brought her to old Doc Soames here and even took her all the way to St. Louis but_" he shrugged slightly and took another sip of the whiskey when suddenly his eyes flew up to her face. "I wasn't cheating on her, Kitty." His voice took on a ragged edge and his eyes darkened. "I_ we_ what we done here, when I come to you, I_ it_ it wasn't like that. She_ she knew I was_"

Kitty shook her head and sat down on the bed beside him, careful to maintain a comfortable distance between them. "You don't owe me any explanations, Slim and you don't have to defend yourself. It's pretty plain to see that you loved her."

Slim nodded as a tear rolled slowly down his cheek. "I did. She was so pretty and sweet and she_ she_" He sniffled again and wiped away more tears. "She loved me. Sometimes she was the only thing I had that loved me that showed me any kindness." He paused. "Cept you."

Kitty rubbed his back in a soothing circular motion without getting any closer. She knew this talk was more beneficial to him than anything else they could've done in this room. "Tell me some more about her." She said softly.

Two hours later, Kitty and Slim emerged from her room and came down stairs. Slim leaned over and kissed her on the cheek before topping his head with his hat and leaving the saloon. They'd spent the entire time talking and Kitty was sure that no matter came what about, Slim would survive the death of his wife and perhaps go on to love again.

"Kitty!" Kitty stiffened at the tone of Clifford's voice. "My office!"

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Kitty dropped her head and started to the small space he called his office. She knew she was probably in for it. Clifford didn't take kindly to the girls taking anyone to their rooms for anything other than entertainment purposes, unless the customer paid handsomely. Kitty had sent Slim on his way without his paying a dime.

"Clifford_" she started as she walked in the door, but Clifford gave her no chance to finish. Just as soon as the door closed, Clifford raised his fist and hit her hard across the face, knocking her to the floor. She hadn't even had a chance to move when he raised a foot and kicked her hard in the ribs. "Clifford, no." She finally managed.

But the saloon/brothel owner was angry and his wasn't in the mood to listen. Raising his foot again, he kicked her one more time in the side, then quickly knelt down beside her, punching her in the face again and then twice in the stomach. Before Kitty could catch a painful breath, he pushed her flat, pulled her dress up and settled himself between her legs.

"I'm gonna teach you what a whore does when she takes a man upstairs." He grunted as he slapped her again and then quickly unbuttoned his pants. "You take a cowboy up ta yore room, he pays and he don't stay more'n half an hour. Ya hear?"

Kitty couldn't answer if she wanted to. Too addled by his blows to her head and in too much pain from his vicious kicks and stomach punches, she could do little else but feebly push at him as he pulled her legs apart and pushed himself inside of her. "You" "Are" "A" Whore" he emphasized each word. "Nothing" "But" "A" "Whore"

Kitty gave up her struggle finally, lying perfectly still as he finished raping her. She knew her struggles, weak as they were, only excited him more. "When he finally finished, she took in a ragged breath, waiting for him to pull away and let her go. But Clifford had other ideas. When he finally moved, he didn't, as she expected, let her go. Instead he rolled her to her stomach, grabbed his belt and began to whip her.

Kitty remained conscious for the first few blows but finally the welcomed darkness came for her and willingly she went with it.

TBC