Thought I would post another chapter while I had the chance. This next week promises to be especially hectic with two exams to study for. Please bear with me and I will try to post again as soon as possible. Thank you all for the reviews and I hope you continue to enjoy!

Disclaimer: all the usual disclaimers apply.

Matt wearily made his way back to Doc's office after finding Festus and listening to the deputy's concerns about leaving the outlaws bodies unburied. Matt knew how much Festus hated to leave bodies unburied, but he figured that getting the injured woman back into town had been more important. Still, Matt had tried to reassure his deputy friend by telling him that he could take the other deputy, Thad, back out to the ghost town in the morning to bury the outlaws. Festus had agreed to the arrangement and stated that he would be leaving at first light.

As Matt entered Doc's office, all thoughts of the outlaws left his mind and he instead shifted to wondering about the young woman's condition, and when he could ask her some important questions. Doc had just finished surgery on the young woman and was cleaning up when Matt entered and asked, "How is she Doc?"

Doc tiredly swiped his mustache before answering. "Well, I got the bullets out and the bleeding has stopped. The wounds look fairly clean, and as long as infection doesn't set in she may have a chance."

"How long until she wakes up?" What Matt didn't add was the reason for the question. He needed her testimony on the day's events to finish his report. There was also the personal question of why anyone, especially a woman, would risk their life to help a stranger. He figured Doc probably wouldn't take too well with him asking the patient questions so soon after she woke up…if she woke up.

"Well now, that…that I just don't know, Matt. We'll just have to wait and see. She's lost a lot of blood. I've done all I can, it's up to her now."

Kitty came out of the back bedroom and announced that the bed was ready for the patient. Kitty looked to Matt and then to Doc, who asked Matt to help move the woman into the back bedroom. Matt smiled a small, tired smile and said, "Of course, Doc." He then proceeded to carry the young woman gunfighter into the bedroom and lay her on the bed, being careful not to jostle her or cause her any unnecessary pain. The trio then reentered the main room and looked at each other with tired eyes. "Why don't you two go and get some sleep, you look like you could use it?" suggested Doc.

"You look pretty tired yourself, Curly," commented Kitty. She knew that way too often Doc had to sit through the night with his patients, most of the time with little to no sleep.

"Don't you worry about me, I'll be able to catch a couple hours of sleep, it'll probably be awhile before she comes to." Doc knew that the likelihood of more than a few minutes of sleep was very slim, but he was trying to appease his two dearest friends so they could get some much needed rest.

"Well, alright Doc," said Kitty, silently grateful that she wouldn't be needed any longer tonight. "But I'll be in to take over for you in the morning."

"That sounds just fine Kitty," stated Doc. He appreciated her offer to return in the morning, he knew he would most likely need a break after another all-night vigil.

Kitty turned to Matt with a twinkle in her eye and asked, "Walk me home, Cowboy?"

"Glad to," smiled Matt, returning the twinkle. He offered his arm to Kitty, who gladly accepted it, and they proceeded across the dark alley to the Longbranch after saying their goodnights to the doctor.

Later, lying safe in each other's arms above the Longbranch, Kitty and Matt wondered about the young woman lying across the alley in Doc's office. They wondered who she was, why she was so handy with a gun, and maybe most importantly…why she had decided to risk her own life to save the lives of two men she had never met. They wondered these things and knew that all they could do was wait…