After seeing Deborah back to the saloon, Matt turned heel and made his way back over to the stable. He'd been staying close to town in order not to miss his contact and because he really had no place else to go.

But right then, he needed to get away. He needed to feel the hooves of his horse pounding away at the ground beneath him. He needed to see something besides gray buildings and humorless people.

He needed…

He stopped a few feet away from the stable doors. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he needed Kitty. Or at least, he needed to see her, talk to her and explain to her why he hadn't come back to Dodge. If she would let him, which he wasn't sure she would.

Doing an about face, he turned and retraced his steps to the saloon, walking past the front doors and heading around to the back. He had no right to expect to find her there and he knew it was improbable that she would be, but he had to see.

Quickly moving down the alley beside the saloon, he just reached the end when he saw her. The moon was casting a soft light on her, making her appear almost ethereal and more beautiful than he could ever remember. Slowing his steps, he stopped just a few feet from her. "Kitty." He whispered.

Kitty wanted to throw herself into his arms, bathing in the warmth of his embrace and the love she still saw in his eyes. But the pain and anger he'd caused kept her restrained. "Figured you come, Matt." She sighed. "Not sure why though. Doesn't seem to be much reason."

Matt took a quick look around them. He needed to talk to Kitty, but there was something else capturing his attention just then. He wasn't sure why, but he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone was moving about in the darkness. Without a word, he pulled his gun and pushed her back against the side of the building. Raising a finger to his lips, he made it clear to her that he didn't want her to move or make a sound.

Moving away from her, Matt quickly ran about halfway down the alley, gun raised, ears and eyes attuned to any sound or sight not belonging. He saw and heard nothing but he still felt like someone was nearby. Thoroughly searching the alley and the back of the building he found nothing.

Hurrying back down to Kitty, he leaned in close and whispered. "We need to talk, but not here. Give me a time and place and I'll be there."

It was on the tip of her tongue to say "nowhere". But her heart wouldn't let her, no matter how angry her head was, her stubborn heart still clung to him. "South of town, about an hours ride. Abandoned shack with its back to the hill. I'll leave here at dawn tomorrow."

Matt offered a slight nod and then seamlessly melted into the dark, leaving her once again bereft of him. With a sigh, she turned and made her way back up the rear stairs to her room above. She knew she'd get no rest this night.

Reaching her room, she crossed to her bed and tossed herself onto its surface. Her mind was in torment. The man she'd thought dead, the man who still claimed the biggest part of her was alive. She wanted to jump for joy and scream out his name at the same time she wanted to curse and hit him with everything within reach.

But she was pretty sure that when she saw him again she'd do neither one. She needed to know exactly why he'd left her first. Then she would need to figure out a way to deal with the anger, pain, grief and even guilt at all she'd lost because of him.

Silently, Matt crept back down the alley every sense tuned to his surroundings. There had been someone or something in that alley and he was bound to find out what. Moving further down than he had earlier, Matt had just about reached the main street when he saw, or actually stumbled over what he knew was there. A drunk, rolled up against a barrel, bottle in hand and close to being completely out of it.

Kneeling down next to him, Matt gently tapped him on the cheek. "Hey. Hey, you alright?" The man didn't respond and from the smell of it and the looks of him, he wouldn't. At least not for a few hours. The night was clear and warm and there didn't appear to be much on the man to warrant robbing him. Matt left him where he was and went on.

He knew he would most likely not sleep and he started to go on back to the stables and claim his horse. But he didn't. He knew he needed to at least lie down and stretch out his tired muscles. Pulling his hat down low, he strode down the street to the hotel and up to his room. Once inside, he shucked his hat and vest and boots. His gunbelt he removed but kept close, within easy reach. He was a far ways from home and he was taking no chances.

Stretching out on the bed, he lowered the lamp's flame and crossed his arms behind his head, remembering another, bigger, softer bed and the woman who'd shared it with him. For the last year he'd concentrated on one thing, getting Wallace and the man or men behind him. He'd sacrificed everything he held dear in order to get that done. And now he was on very edge of accomplishing just that.

Only, now it wasn't as easy as he'd supposed. Now he had a situation in the form of one beautiful woman who still held his heart in the palm of her hand. A woman who'd most likely get hurt in all of this no matter what he did. If she still cared about him, she'd worry and perhaps put herself in danger to help him. If she had stopped loving him, and really was interested in Wallace, she'd be hurt when he took the crook down.

No, no she didn't care about Wallace. Matt had seen the look on her face when she'd come down that staircase and their eyes met. Stone faced, she hadn't even twitched but he saw the shadow in her eyes, the connection. She'd no more forgotten him than he had her. Question would be; would that memory make any difference?

Rolling over, Matt closed his eyes, dreading and yet looking forward to the next morning.

TBC