Chapter 25

The late afternoon sun shone through the open window as a slight breeze wafted through it sending bright dust motes flying through the air. The room, cast in a haze of light from the waning sun was silent and warm, summer giving one last gasp before it died away.

A soft groan broke the silence that had filled the room since the group's return to Dodge City in the early morning hours two days before.

Doc, sitting quietly by the bed in his back room leaned forward and placed a gentle hand on Festus' forehead, comforting the waking deputy. "Easy, Festus. You're safe," he whispered. He smiled as he saw Festus' eyes blink repeatedly, trying to focus on his face.

"Doc?" he whispered, raising his head up from the pillows and peering about him in confusion. "Where are we?"

"Well, I know it's been awhile but I'd think you'd remember my office. You spend enough time here."

"How'd we git here?"

"Matt pulled you on the travois he made. Remember?"

Festus scrunched his eyes up as he struggled to remember, laying his head back down as the events of the past few days filled his head. "I remember. Y'all right, Doc? Is Miss Kitty all right?"

"I'm…I'm fine, Festus. We all are. Now."

Something in Doc's voice caused Festus to look up at his friend in concern. "Doc? What's wrong? Ya said everone was all right, didn'tcha?"

Doc took a few minutes to control the tremble in his voice. "We are now, Festus. We are now," he said squeezing Festus' arm and nodding.

"That's good ta know, Doc. I…I…"

Smiling to himself, Doc watched Festus' eyes slide closed again, his breathing soft and regular. Wiping at the tears that threatened to fall from his tired eyes, he shook his head, overwhelmed with the relief he felt. When he had first seen how badly Festus was hurt, he hadn't thought there was any chance he would live and the knowledge had torn a hole through him. But the realization he had been prepared to die to keep him and Kitty safe had filled him with an overwhelming sense of remorse at all the times he had spoken harshly to his friend. Sometimes words spoken in haste couldn't be taken back and that was something he would do well to remember. He lowered his head and gave thanks he had a few more days to spend with his friend.

Lost in his musings, he never heard the door to the bedroom open. "Doc?" A soft, fear filled voice caused him to look up to see, as he had expected, Kitty and Matt standing with their arms about each other staring at him and then Festus in fear. "Is…is he all right?" Kitty asked, afraid of the answer when she saw the tears in his eyes.

Doc closed his eyes and felt his throat constrict. "He…he's gonna be all right. His fever's almost gone and his pulse is getting stronger. He just woke up for a minute and remembers what happened." His breath caught in his throat as he looked down at the man he called friend: best friend if the truth be told.

Kitty walked to the bed and sat down by Festus' side, taking his hand in hers tightly. "Do you think he'll ever tell us if he went over that cliff on purpose?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know, Kitty. But I don't think it really matters 'cause I know he would have if it was the only way to keep us safe."

Kitty nodded then brushed the hair back from Festus' forehead and leaned forward to place a kiss on his brow, pausing to run a hand down his bearded cheek. "That he would, Doc. That he would."

~The End~