Missing Scenes - Old Flame, Season 5
AN: I just wanted to point out that this is only one writer's humble view of what might have happened after the camera was turned off. As Nevada Rose pointed out, there are other views. If anyone has any other idea of what might have happened, I'd love to read them. THANKS.
Also this one is for CBloomer.
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Dolly slid over in the seat closer to Matt as they drove down the road, heading to a small farm just south of Dodge. Matt had promised her he'd help her find Rad Meadows and so far he'd been doing everything he promised. But she didn't feel it'd hurt anything to sort of grease the skids some.
"You know, Matt." She purred as she wrapped both of her arms around his. "I really don't know how to tell you how grateful I am that you're doing all of this for me. I know you're a busy man and all but to do this for me…"
"Look, Dolly." Matt wriggled his arm trying to shake her loose. "I am doing this out of friendship. Please don't read anything more into it."
"Oh, I know." She relinquished her hold on his arm, but didn't move away. "I understand that, Matt. But still, it's so nice to know that, after all these years, you still care about me enough to help. That you haven't forgotten what we used to mean to each other."
Matt didn't reply to that. He wasn't sure just yet how he felt about Dolly Winters. He remembered the girl she used to be and the feelings he'd had for her then, but he wasn't sure those feelings still existed or even if that girl still existed in the woman that she was now.
Another mile went by and when Dolly realized Matt wasn't going to comment, she decided to push things a little further. Nothing was as important to her than making Rad Meadows pay for humiliating her and that included Matt Dillon. And if she needed to prod him a little more, to get him to kill Rad, then she would do it.
"You know, Matt." She moved a little closer, resting her hand on his thigh. "I was thinking, maybe when we get back to town, we could perhaps have supper in my room and…"
"No." Matt answered before she could finish. Pulling on the reins, Matt brought the buggy to a stop and turned fully to Dolly. "Listen, Dolly. I meant what I said. I am helping you out because of what we used to mean to each other, but nothing more. Whatever was between us isn't there any longer. Do you understand what I mean?"
"I understand." Dolly sighed. "And I know it's been several years and I know that each of us has aged and all but that doesn't mean that we couldn't perhaps start all over again, does it? I mean perhaps we might be able to rekindle…"
"NO." Matt answered again, a little sternly but still with kindness in his voice. "I'm sorry, Dolly but we can't."
"Is there someone else?" She asked with a seemingly innocent air. "I do seem to recall someone mentioning that you were close to a woman at one of the saloons in town. Although, I can't really see you with someone like that, I guess I'd understand if you were already promised to her or something."
Matt sighed. "Dolly, please. Just accept that I do not wish to rekindle anything between us. Okay? Now, I made you a promise and I will keep that, but nothing more. And when we find this Rad Meadows that will be the end of it. Okay?"
"Alright, Matt." Dolly nodded as she moved away from him. "I promise, as soon as you find Rad, I'll leave you alone."
"Thank you, Dolly." Matt smiled down at her, certain he'd made her understand that he had no interest in her without dragging Kitty into it.
As Matt snapped the reins on the buggy, Dolly sat back and watched him. He'd not confirmed her suspicions about another woman or even mentioned one but by the look on his face, she could tell there was one and she must be someone special. Though there were several years between what they'd had and now, she could still read him well enough to see that.
'Well,' she told herself. 'Maybe when we find Rad and I have Matt kill him for me, maybe then I can see about getting Matt away from her.'
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"Well, I don't think there's anything personal there." Chester somewhat skillfully avoided looking at her for a second. "It's just that, well, they've known each other since they was kids practically and what with her losing the money and her husband and being so scared and all, well, naturally she's gonna come to him for help."
Kitty considered his words as she watched Matt leave the saloon after making the bet with her on Dolly. There was a chance that Chester was right, but she doubted sincerely that Dolly Winters was as good as Matt and even Chester supposed her to be. But it hadn't taken her long to see that Matt wouldn't believe it until Dolly proved it to him.
"We'll I don't think that you got a thing to worry about." Chester had also said. That was where she knew Chester was wrong. There was plenty for her to be worried about. Even if Dolly managed to do no harm to her and Matt's relationship, there was still the awfully big possibility that Matt could be hurt by someone he thought of as a friend. And that worried her most of all.
But as she finished her beer and then got back to her feet, she decided that if Dolly Winters did hurt Matt, he wouldn't be the only one. Dolly Winters hadn't yet met Kitty Russell, but she would.
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Kitty had just sat down at a table with the whiskey and beer drummer when Matt walked into the saloon. Nodding at him, she told the drummer what she needed and asked him to prepare the order for her while she spoke to the Marshal.
"Matt?" She questioned as he walked in, hat in hand. "Is something wrong?" He didn't look happy at all.
"Is that the whiskey drummer?" He asked in reply.
"Yes. Why?"
Instead of answering her directly, Matt walked over to the man and leaned down, talking quietly to him and placing some money on the table. When the man nodded and scribbled something on his order pad, Matt turned, noticing Kitty's curious expression. "I was just paying off on a bet." He smiled sadly at her. "You were right about Dolly, Kitty."
"Oh, Matt." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I was actually hoping I was wrong."
"I know." Matt nodded. "But you weren't. I guess that'll teach me to pay attention to you more often."
Kitty smiled up at him. "I've been telling you that for a while now, Cowboy. It's about time you started to listen."
Matt returned the smile. "How about you tell me more about it tonight over a beer."
"Un huh." She shook her head. "We're running low on beer. Besides, I have something better than that."
Matt laughed outright. "You sure do."
End