Matt's blood started warming up when he saw the two horses still stacked out and he couldn't help wondering what Bellum was up too; a guy like that knew better than to stick around in one place when he was being tracked. Then his eyes located the felon, sitting by a small fire skinning a rabbit, and he almost went numb with rage.
"Get your hands in the air, Bellum," he growled, "before I shoot 'em off a finger at a time."
"I'm awfully sorry about your girlfriend, Marshal," Bellum didn't even look up, his voice still smooth as silk, "but she went plum crazy this morning." Looking up, a sinister smile spread across his pale sunburned face, "I guess she didn't like what I did last night."
"Not gonna work, Bellum." Matt just managed to not pull the trigger, "Now, get your hands in the air."
This time Bellum cautiously did as he was told, allowing the Marshal to advance with his gun leveled squarely at the felon's stomach.
Waiting until Matt was a few short steps away before he moved like lightning, Bellum suddenly pulled his gun but the Marshal's fist was faster. He knocked the felon to the ground then, not wanting to kill him without standing trial, Matt fired one shot to make him drop his gun.
"I've had enough of you, Bellum." He aimed at the man's stomach as he handcuffed him, taking all the willpower he had to not beat him senseless right there.
Kitty convulsed when she heard the shot, almost letting herself slide out of the saddle. It took a few minutes, but she steeled her nerves and was cautiously headed towards the campsite when the two men emerged. Matt was about aboard the big beast she'd ridden yesterday. Bellum's horse was tied to the saddle.
"My stirrups are a little short for you, Matt." her voice trembled slightly with relief, "Wanna switch?"
"We can do that." He gave her a small grin, "Are you sure, sweetheart? I don't need stirrups. You said this guy was pretty rough yesterday."
"I'll be alright, Matt." she gave him a tight smile, "I just wanna get back to Topeka and enjoy what's left of our trip."
"We'll go slow, Kit." he promised, shooting Bellum a glare that would've wiped the smile off any other man's face, "I promise ya that."
Kitty tried to keep her emotions in check as they headed for the capitol but her mind's eye knew that Bellum was still grinning at her. She kept her eyes straight ahead and was awed at Matt's control, knowing that he'd much rather dispatch those teeth from the world than see them shining on his girl.
"He shot a rabbit this morning." The Marshal conversed lightly as he rode between them. He wished she was still riding with him, knowing that touch, not voice or looks, was what she needed to heal her wounds, "We'll have it for dinner tonight."
"Sounds delicious, Matt." She gave him a quick glance and teared up at the sight of Bellum.
The Marshal's heart twisted. He wished they could ride all the way back to the Capitol tonight. There were so many things he wanted to whisper in her ear.
"You should've stayed in your hotel room, Bellum." he growled, determined to keep up a running dialogue for her to hear, "You might have gotten away with your crimes a little longer."
"Oh, I don't know, Marshal…" the felon was still grinning, "What happened last night is worth getting hung for…"
Kitty squealed in rage, yanking her horse's head to a stop, "You dirty rotten—" Hot tears welled up in her eyes at the sight of him, but she didn't back down, "Don't believe him, Matt! Don't ever think he's telling the truth! He's a no good pig—"
Her sweet beau was off his horse in a nanosecond, hauling Bellum down to gut punch him a few times. Then he tied him over his horse and remounted.
"Honey," he spoke gently, giving her a soft smile, "I don't believe him and I never will. That's one thing I've learned. Don't ever trust a man who's staring at a rope around his neck."
Knowing Bellum was unconscious made the miles a little easier on both of them. Her horse didn't seem nearly as rough today and he was relieved to see her more relaxed, even if she kept her eyes ahead and refused to look at him.
Nevertheless, she was exhausted when they reached the little creek they'd camped at the night before and he called a halt even though it was only mid afternoon.
"I'll take care of the horses, Matt." she volunteered, stretching her aching limbs, "But would you finish skinning the rabbit? I-I'm kinda tired." She tried a smile, "I guess I need to take you up on your offers to ride more often. This ole town girl is a little sore."
"You sure?" he looked concerned as he handcuffed the still dazed and irritated man to a tree, "I was gonna water the horses and skin the bunny."
"I'm tired, Matt, not completely useless." She threw him a lopsided smile then pointed at a tree that was as far away from Bellum as she could get, "But, like I said, after I take care of 'em, I'm goin' over there for a little nap."
He nodded, his eyes trailing her as she led the horses down to the creek then returned to the tree. He got the fire going and started skinning the rabbit. When a chilly breeze pull up, he got up to wrap her in his coat and stetson again.
"Sleep tight, sweetheart." he whispered in her ear as she dozed, "I'll wake ya when dinner is ready."
"Matt…" she woke up enough to reach for his hand, "I-I'm sorry about today. I-I know you were trying. I just, I just, well, I'm not brave enough. I—"
"Kitty." he kissed her lips, his grip firm enough to make her wince, "Don't ever say that again. You're the bravest woman I've ever known and that's a fact."
"Thank you, Matt." she relaxed, even as he tightened his grip, his intense eyes boring though to her heart, "I-I needed to hear that."
"I'm gonna start saying it more often, honey. Any woman who's willing to put up with me for as long as you have is a heck of a lady and I love you." He leaned in for another kiss, but Bellum's voice stopped him
"I shot that rabbit. And I skinned most of it too. It's mine."
"Oh, you'll get some." the Marshal answered darkly, feeling his blood heating up, "Maybe I'll stuff the fully little tail down your throat."
Turning back to his girl, his eyebrows furrowed, "You sure you won't come closer to the fire, Kit? I don't want you getting cold tonight."
I won't be cold." she shook her head emphatically, giving him a small smile, "I've got your coat and hat."
"Kit, I promised you he wouldn't touch you again and I meant it." he gently rebuffed her unspoken thoughts, "I mean, I understand, sweetheart, but I don't want you to be cold because you're scared."
"Thank you, Matt." she kissed his cheek gently, "but your coat and hat are wonderful. I'm perfectly toasty right here."
"I guess, I'll have to get you one of your own when we get back to Topeka." he teased lightly.
"I'd settle for sharing." she smirked, "especially when I'm not so tired that I don't know."
"How are you doing, sweetheart?" He gently rubbed her back, helping her sit up a couple hours later.
"I'm alright." she beamed sleepily, squinting in the still bright sunlight, "Hmm, that smells good."
He stuffed a piece into her mouth then gave her the canteen while he tore off a hunk for himself, "I didn't push ya too hard today, did I? I was hoping we'd get back here for the horses' sake. Yours too. Last chance for water before we get back to Topeka."
"I'm good, Matt. I'm glad we're here too. Reminds me of last night." Her eyes drifted towards Bellum as they shared the meat and she shuddered when their eyes met, feeling dirty all over again, "How long do you think we'll rest here?"
"Actually, I think we'll camp here." he gripped her arm firmly, turning her eyes back to him, "You okay with that?"
"I'd like to ride on." Her eyes darted nervously.
"I don't think that's the best idea, Kit."
"Matt, I—" She unconsciously let her eyes stray back to the felon.
"No, sweetheart, don't look at him." Matt caught her face with his big hand, turning it back to him, "Listen, Kit, what you managed to do last night—what you went through yesterday—that takes time to recover from." He shook his head when she opened her mouth, "No, listen sweetheart, you need to rest now and you need to rest when we get back to Topeka." His voice cracked a little, "Y-you could've died out here."
"Besides," he shot Bellum a glare, "I don't exactly want to travel with him after dark. I try to never do that, if I can help it, you know. It's a dangerous thing to do."
"Hey, are you two gonna jaw all night or do I get some of that rabbit that I shot!" the felon yelled. He managed to flash a smile too, "I see her looking at me, Marshal."
In a flash, Matt heaved to his feet, his hand on his gun. He'd been patient all day but this was getting to be too much.
"No, Matt—" Kitty squealed, catching his elbow just in time, his coat and stetson falling from her as his momentum hauled her off the ground, "He just doesn't wanna hang. He may be a psychopath but he's really just scared to have a rope around his neck and he wants you to shoot him. Don't Matt!"
"It doesn't really matter to me how he dies." the Marshal retorted, the muscles in his arms quivering in anticipation, "Nobody would bat an eyelash if I reported having to kill him out here."
Kitty's eyes widened but, for a minute, no words came out. In truth, she understood how he felt and she actually agreed wholeheartedly too. But she also knew it wasn't who Matt Dillon was.
"See, Kitty loves me, Marshal. She's my girl now." Bellum laughed, sensing that Matt was ripe to be taken advantage of. His smile widened, "You liked me just fine last night, didn't ya, sweetheart?"
"Matt, no!" Kitty's mind snapped back into place; she clung her big beau's elbow with all her might, "You know that's not true!"
She was the only one who could reach him at that point and she got in front of him to do it, rambling hoarsely, "Matt, Matt, listen to me. I-I don't give a flip what happens to him. I really don't. But I do care about you. This isn't you, Matt. Don't do it. He wants you to shoot him, Matt. Don't let him bluff you. He's a no good coward and he's scared to hang. Don't give him the satisfaction of getting one of your bullets, Matt. It's not who you are. Matt, listen to me!"
Bellum continued laughing throughout, but Matt barely heard it. Kitty had won and he put his gun back in his holster.
Flopping down with a hard sigh, he pulled his girl with him, "I'm sorry, Kit. You need to get some rest, not watch me shoot an unarmed handcuffed man." He picked his coat and hat off the ground and rewrapped her in warmth, "Let's finish this bunny so we can get some sleep together. I wanna get out of here early tomorrow."
"Alright, Matt." she gave him a soft kiss as he nuzzled her, "I love you."
He stayed beside her until he was sure she was sleeping, then took a ration over to Bellum, watching the felon eat with gun in hand.
Author's Note: LovingmesomeMK: Thank you!