Ranch Life 21

I don't own these characters; I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

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As she stepped out of Doc's office with Luke at her side, Kitty's mind was in a jumble, thinking about what Mr. Tompkins had told her. If Luke's mother had of resembled her, she would've understood that.

It would make a sort of sense that Luke would have confused her with his mother. But to know that there was no resemblance and that somehow Luke had conjured someone up in his dreams that he had never met, someone that looked just like her, that was going to take some figuring.

"Can we come back and see pa again tomorrow?" Luke asked as he walked beside her, bringing her out of her thoughts.

Kitty smiled down at him and nodded. "I'm sure we can figure something out," she told him. "But right now, we should really get back. I bet you Mr. Dillon will be worried about us."

"Okay," Luke agreed.

Walking along with the boy, Kitty never noticed the man who was so carefully following along behind, staying in the shadows and looking for his chance to claim her.

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Matt marched down the boardwalk, fear and fury working their way through him. Kitty had promised she wouldn't be long but she hadn't come back. Helpless to stop himself, Matt's mind kept playing over all the things that could've happened, and none of those things were good.

Normally calm, cool and collected in most situations, Matt seldom let emotions play a part in his thinking but this was some different. This was his wife, and even though he would never be able to explain why, he was beginning to become all emotion when it came to her.

It wasn't just that he loved her or just the memory of the many times in the past that she had been hurt, there was something more. But what that something was he didn't know.

Looking ahead, he finally spotted her coming down the street, Luke's hand in hers. Relief and irritation flooded thru him as he walked a few paces faster to reach her.

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Max paused in the alley he was taking cover in as he watched her and the child moving further down the street away from him. He wanted this woman very badly but he had already been gone from the carnival longer than he should've, not to mention the fact that he didn't know Dodge. If he went too much further, he could get lost.

Still when he looked at the pretty red haired woman…..

Max decided to risk it, until he saw the man. The same tall man she had been with earlier. Though not afraid of the man, Max knew his presence would make it too hard for him to get the woman and get her out of town easily.

Sighing in frustration and taking one last look at the prize he wanted so badly, Max turned away and headed back to the carnival, promising himself he would get another chance.

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Kitty spotted Matt marching towards her and by the set of his jaw and his rigid shoulders, she could tell he was upset and she had a pretty good idea as to why.

That knowledge annoyed her. She had never given him a set time as to when she would return to Ma's, and she didn't think he had any reason to be upset with her.

Raising her hand as they met near the street, she waved off any protest he may have had to offer. "Matt Dillon, don't you say one word to me," she warned, blue eyes daring him to try. "I never gave you any specific time that I'd get back to Ma's. We're not late and as you can see we're perfectly okay."

Matt stopped as his eyes worriedly swept over her, double checking her words. She was right. She was fine and he felt foolish at his overreaction. "I'm sorry," he ducked his head. "I just….. well….."

"I know," she sighed, "but, Matt, please, just try and remember that I am a grown woman. I can take care of myself."

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered automatically, pasting on his most ingratiating smile.

Kitty shook her in amused exasperation and took him by the arm. "Let's go, Mr. Dillon. You can walk me and Luke back and make sure we're not attacked on the way there."

Matt grinned happily because that was exactly what he wanted to do.

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Jack Silver stood at the edge of the carnival grounds, anxiously watching for Max. He hadn't been too concerned when Lulu had first warned him that Max hadn't been seen. Lulu the Bearded Lady, had a crush on Max and kept a close eye on him when she could. When she noticed he wasn't around, she always raised the alarm, sometimes too quickly.

Moreover the first day of the carnival was always busy, hectic and crowded and Max usually made his self scarce. But the crowds were dwindling now and Jack was certain, Max was no where within the confines of the camp, which meant only one thing. He had gone into the town and that was never good.

Though usually a fairly gentle man, Max had a darker side of him that came out occasionally when he was saw something he wanted, and Jack was afraid that was what happened.

The last time Max did this; Jack had come close to losing everything he had, in trying to get Max out of it. He hoped Max hadn't done anything, because Jack didn't know if he could fix it for him this time.

Hearing footsteps, Jack breathed a little easier when he saw Max approaching and he was alone.

TBC