*Thank you to all the readers who write a review as a guest. I can't send you private messages, but I do appreciate you taking the time to read my story and posting a review.

*Author's note: A huge thank you to lostcowgirl who caught my mistake. Carey Post should have been the shooter in chapter 1, not Joe Phy. I wrote Joe Phy for part of my title, and that name was on my brain when I started chapter 1. Anyway, the name has been changed.

Chapter 2

Matt was furious. Not because someone tried to take a shot at him, but because Kitty was standing right next to him. He accepted that getting shot at came with the job of being a Marshal. He did not accept it when Kitty or any of his friends were put in harm's way. Matt pulled his gun from its holster and took a couple of shots towards the coward who shot at him. He recognized the man as Carey Post from a wanted circular. Matt missed his target as Carey rode off on his horse. All this took place in a matter of seconds.

After holstering his gun, Matt turned to Kitty to make sure she was alright. But when he turned towards her, she was not standing next to him. To his dismay, Kitty was lying on the ground. She was on her side. Matt immediately knelt down next to her. He noticed she was holding her upper arm. If Matt felt rage before, it just multiplied one hundred fold. A bullet that was meant for him had struck his girl. He took deep breaths to calm himself down.

"Oh my Kitty! Are you alright?" Matt frantically asked.

"It's my arm," Kitty answered, pain all over her face.

"You need to get to Doc," Matt said.

Matt then looked up and Doc was walking out of the Lady Gay Saloon. Doc liked to show support for the different businesses and saloons in Dodge. Fortunately he chose today to visit the Lady Gay.

"Doc! Doc!" Matt yelled. He was still kneeling next to Kitty, keeping his hands on her to offer some sort of comfort.

Hearing his name, Doc looked up. When he saw Kitty on the ground, with Matt kneeling next to her, he shoved his beer mug in the hands of the man next to him and rushed over to the couple. He could not believe the sight before him. Kitty, the young woman he loved like a daughter, had obviously been injured.

"What in tarnation happened here?" Doc yelled as he tried to assess the situation. He got on the ground next to Kitty.

"A bullet that was meant for me hit her in the upper arm." Matt's voice barely hid the anger that he was feeling.

"Did you see who the hell it was?" Doc's voice, like Matt's voice, was laced with anger.

"Yeah I saw who it was," Matt seethed.

"Well, who was it?" Doc wanted an answer.

"It was Carey Post. I just saw his picture on one of my wanted circulars. He's wanted up in Elkader. I've been meaning to get up to Elkader. I'm definitely going now," said Matt, looking off in the direction that Carey rode his horse.

All this time Matt and Doc were having their conversation, Doc was also examining Kitty's upper arm. He determined the bullet was still in there and had to come out. Doc turned towards Matt.

"Well you won't be going now. I need you to help me get Kitty up to my office." Doc then turned his attention to Kitty. "Kitty, the bullet is lodged in your upper arm and needs to come out. Are you okay enough to walk to my office?" Kitty nodded her head. "Matt, let her lean on you for support."

Matt did not need to be told twice. He helped Kitty stand up and let her lean her small frame against his large one. Kitty gratefully accepted Matt's support as they walked over to Doc's office. Her arm was really hurting her. They reached Doc's office, walked up the stairs, and went inside.

"Kitty, I want you to lay down on the table here. I'm going to get some laudanum and then take this bullet out," Doc said. He was getting his surgical instruments prepared.

Kitty knew that Matt hated taking laudanum because of its side effects. He always complained that he felt extremely tired and out of his head. She hesitated to take the medication. Matt noticed the hesitation and knew why she was hesitating.

"Kitty, I know I complain about taking laudanum, but please take it. It will help with the pain that you have now and that you will have when Doc takes the bullet out." Matt pleaded with her.

"He's right, Kitty. This is routine surgery for me. I've taken out bullets in the arm from a certain overgrown lawman, but it would make me feel a whole lot better if you took the laudanum. I can't have you flinching while I'm getting the bullet," said Doc.

Kitty knew there was no point in arguing with the two men in her life that meant the world to her. She accepted the laudanum and a glass of water from Doc. After taking the laudanum, Kitty began to feel drowsy. Before she knew it, she was in a deep sleep.

Doc knew that Kitty was asleep and began the operation to take out the bullet. Matt stood next to Doc, ready to help in whatever way Doc needed. When Doc pointed to certain instruments, Matt would hand them to him. As Doc said before the surgery, the operation was routine and Doc easily removed the bullet from Kitty's arm. Relief flooded through both Matt and Doc. Doc stitched up the incision and then wrapped a bandage around Kitty's arm.

"The laudanum should wear out in an hour or two. Carefully carry her to the bed in the backroom. She'll be more comfortable there," Doc told Matt.

With hardly any effort, Matt gently lifted Kitty off the examining table and to the bed in the backroom. He gently laid her on the bed. Satisfied that she was comfortable, Matt sat in the chair next to the bed. He took Kitty's small hand and placed it in his large one. Matt's brain knew he had to go after Post, but his heart kept him with Kitty.

It was two hours later that Kitty began to stir out of her sleep. Matt immediately went to get Doc. "Doc, she's waking up."

Doc followed Matt. When Doc entered the room, Kitty was fully awake. "Well my dear, everything ran smooth. Your arm is going to be sore, but I expect a full recovery. Just come see me everyday, so I can change the bandage and make sure the wound stays clean."

"Thank you, Doc" Kitty whispered, her voice still heavy with sleep.

"Oh shaw, you know there's no need to thank me," said Doc, swiping at his mustache. "When you're ready, Matt can take you to your room."

Kitty had to admit that she was surprised that Matt was still here. She thought for sure that he would have gone after Carey Post. But there he was sitting in the chair next to the bed. Her heart swelled with love. He actually put her ahead of the badge. Kitty had Matt take her back to the Long Branch. For Kitty, Matt, and Doc, the worst was over, or so they thought.

TBC