Doc settled into his chair at his desk. He thought that perhaps later he might craw up on to the examination table with a blanket, but at the moment he wanted to stay on the floor in case Festus needed him. The lamps were low in the main office, which help James Charles make his assent up the stair case undetected. James stood on the landing and peeked through the glass of the door into the room. He saw the doctor who had now folded his arms on his desk and rested his head in their crook, as Doc had done time and time again.

Charles glanced down the stairs and out onto the street - it was quite and eerily so. His eyes shifted back through the window at the doctor's office. He knew Lilly was in there and waiting for him to take her away from all the noise that Dodge kicked up day and night. Furthermore he decided to begin living his life with the woman he was going to marry and start their family. Greed swelled in his heart and soul. A sadistic sneer washed over his face as he realized that the only person to stop him was the little old man in the chair at the desk. James drew in a deep breath and placed his hand on the doorknob. He thought for sure that is would have been locked, but was surprised to find that in fact it opened with the turn of his hand.

James stepped into the room still undetected. His eyes searched through the low light to see what his best path to the back room would be past the sleeping doctor. He slowly and methodically worked his way into the office where he accidentally kicked a small metal table.

Doc pulled his head up from his arms and looked around the room for the source of the noise. Somehow he wasn't surprised that James stood in the middle of the room. Doc eased himself up from his chair and turned the lamp up just above his desk. "You sick er somethin'?"

"You know why I'm here you crafty old pill-roller. I'm talking Lilly home. With me. Now." James sneered.

Doc shook his head and ran his right hand across his moustache and looked at that man in front of him. "No you're not. She's gonna have a baby any day, and I just wont allow you to take her."

James stepped closer to Doc. His physical size was almost that of Matt's so Doc tried to play it safe. "If you care for her, as much as you say, you'll have to leave her here in Dodge for a couple of week. You can't tote a pregnant woman all over the place until you decide that it's time to settle!"

James continued to seethe while looking at Doc. "Get out of my way runt..."

Doc shook his head no, all the while he was dearly hoping that Festus would hear the ruckus. "I'm not letting you take her out of here..." And with that James lunged at Doc grabbing him by the lapels of his vest. James shook him violently, "You better let me at her, or I'll finish what I started, on you old man!"

Doc's uncovered eye was wide open and he knew that James Charles meant what he said, but he still said no. "Look, come back in a few days...after she's had the baby and maybe then..."

"Maybe nothing!" James yelled and struck Doc in the ribs before throwing him to the floor next to the medicine cabinet and then moved further into the room.

Festus stood in the dark. He heard the ruckus alright. And he cringed at the thought of that James Charles just did to his dear friend.

James stepped to the doorway and peered into the dark. Lilly? Come on. I'm takin' you away..."

Festus stepped forward. "Like the doctor said, you ain't takin her nowheres..." Festus stepped from the shadow.

"You...you just keep your hands off Lilly!" James barked.

"No why don't you try and make me. She sure is a purddy girl..." Festus knew he was provoking the younger man.

James looked around. Doc lay crumpled next to the medicine cabinet. "Well whiskers...it's between you and me. The doc ain't goin' nowhere at the moment..." James sadistically smiled back at Festus.

"You all of a sudden made it personal..." Festus said in a low tone. "If you hurt ol' Doc, I'll kill you sure as the sun comes up in the morning."

James looked at the doctor who was now trying to get to his feet. "I guess then, it's now personal whiskers...the old man looks hurt."

Festus narrowed his eyes and his and hovered over his gun. James looked down and under his eyebrows and his eyes grew more black as the minutes passed. "Just twitch...that's all I need.." Festus said.

James' hand reached quickly to his gun and there were two shots fired.