The Heart Will Bring Us Home

PT.11

It was approximately half a day's ride from Liberal to the camp with Amos driving the horses as faster as Kitty was requesting. When they came rushing into the camp area, it captured the attention of everyone.

Festus and Will ran to the wagon as well as the men of the group. Festus, in complete surprise, piped out, "Miz Kitty!"

Followed by Will. "Kitty!"

Then in a questioning tone. "Kitty?" Which came from Sarah.

"Miz Kitty, what in tarnation are you doing here?"

"Festus, where is he?"

"Miz Kitty, how'd you find this place?"

"Festus! Where's Matt?"

"He's with Doc and Momma Mabel."

"Where?"

"Come with me. Don't you worry, Miz Kitty, Matthew's gonna be…"

Kitty, shaking still, said, "Festus, I just need to see him."

Standing outside the tent, Sarah looked at Will. "So, that's your Kitty, is it?" She said in a sarcastic tone.

"Sarah, she's not my Kitty. Can't we just leave this alone? I believe you came here to visit your brother didn't you?"

"Perfect, and you can visit with your Kitty. Hummmm?"

Will just waved his hand and walked away.

As Kitty entered the tent, Doc looked up in shock. "Kitty! What in thunder?"

"Well, hello to you too, Curly." Kitty stood staring for a moment, her eyes filling with burning tears, her chest and stomach tightening. Slowly walking towards the makeshift bed, suddenly she dropped to her knees. "Doc? What happened?"

"He's been shot, Honey. He was hit in the chest. Over here." Then he showed her the wound.

"Oh, Doc." Tears slid down her cheeks. Placing her hand gently on Matt's chest, she sobbed. "Oh, Cowboy."

Hearing that, Doc took it as his queue to exit the tent.

"Cowboy, if you can hear me, I'm here. I'm so sorry. I need you to fight. I need you to, for me, for us. I didn't mean those things I said. I don't know if you got my letter but that's not important now. What is, is that I need you, Cowboy and I love you. Please, open your eyes for me. I need you to know that I'm here."

Lying her head lightly on him, she continued. "Cowboy, I need you to feel that I'm here with you. If you still love me, you will know I'm here. Damn it, Matt! Open your eyes! Once, we said no matter what, the heart will bring us home. Do you remember?"

She began to sob heavily, wrapping her arms around him as far as she could. Then Kitty suddenly felt a slight movement very softly moving up and down her back. For a minute, she didn't want to move but then she heard a, "Shhhhhhhhh."

And this made her pick up her head to look. "Cowboy? Oh, Cowboy. You're awake." Now she was really crying with a mixture of joy and excitement. She placed both her hands cupping his face in them. "You have no idea how happy you've just made me."

"Kitty, are you really here?" Matt asked.

"You bet I am. And I'm not going anywhere. We're gonna get you better and get you home."

"Wait, who's we?" Matt asked.

"Oh, well, Doc, Festus and all these people you were with. But don't worry about that now. Let me get Doc."

Kitty started to get up to get Doc but Matt stopped her. "Kitty, wait."

"What is it?"

Grabbing her hand, he asked. "Was I dreaming, or did I hear…"

"What, Matt?"

"That's impossible…"

"What Matt?"

"I swore I heard Will Stambridge."

"Hummmm, Matt, let me go get Doc."

"Kitty. Did I or didn't I?"

"Alright, yes, you did. But, Matt, listen to me…"

"Kitty, what is he doing here?"

"Matt, I don't know. He was here when I got here. Let's discuss this later? Huh?" And she hurried to get Doc.

Doc and Kitty came back just in time to catch Matt trying to get up.

"Just you wait one cotton picking minute! What in thunder do you think you're doing?" Doc began yelling.

"Doc, I need to get up and get moving. I can't lay around forever, you know?"

"And do what? Tear open that wound after a lot of people, good people, went to an awful lot of trouble to make sure your over-grown body lived? Is that the thanks they get?"

"Well, no, Doc. But…"

"But nothing. You're gonna stay put. I'm the Doctor!"

TBC