Unshown Moments for KLA S 18 - She didn't have an affair so I refuse to call it that.

This is for MissLizzyJ

"Marshal." Will asked Matt. "Is Kitty really her own woman?" He watched the tall lawman closely. He knew they had a connection of some sort, but he wanted to know how close a one.

"Mister, if you don't know that, then you've got a long way to go." Matt answered. When Will Stambridge walked away, Matt watched him for a few seconds. He hated how this man had come in between he and Kitty and he hated that Kitty had let him. But he hated even more that he had caused her to do so.

Shaking his head at the whole thing, Matt went on about his business, determined to keep an eye on Will Stambridge while staying out of Kitty's business entirely. It stung that she was apparently so taken with the man, but he knew he had only himself to blame for the matter.

As long as he refused to commit to her or even give her hope of any sort of future, he couldn't fault her for being attracted to and considering a proposal from a man who would. No, he decided, he needed to stay out of it entirely and let Kitty decide for herself what she wanted and who she wanted it with no matter how bad it hurt.

But a little while later, when he saw Will Stambridge again, Matt couldn't prevent himself from at least trying to protect her.

"Stambridge." Matt called as he saw him walking down the street towards the Long Branch. "Can I talk to you?"

Will stopped and waited for the tall man to catch up to him. He didn't dislike the Marshal, per se, but he didn't have high regards for him either. He knew Kitty cared for him and that if he were to ever convince her to marry him; he'd also have to convince her to leave this man behind. Maybe talking to him would give him the ammunition he needed to do that.

"Marshal?" He nodded when Matt approached. "Something I can do for you?"

Matt looked around them, not wanting to discuss personal business out on the street. "You got a couple of minutes to talk?"

"About what?" Will asked, although he had a feeling he knew.

"Let's go over to the jail." Matt said in reply. "The streets no real place to talk."

"It was earlier." Will pointed out.

"My office, Stambridge." Matt made it clear they would not talk about this on the street but that they would talk about it.

Will simply nodded and followed Matt to the jail. He figured it was about time they cleared the air between them about Kitty anyway.

When they reached the jail, Matt held the door for the gunman and then followed him in, taking his hat off and placing it on the peg by the door. "Coffee?" He asked as he started for the stove.

"No." Will answered. "This isn't a social visit and I don't have time for pleasantries. So why don't you get down to why you brought me over here."

Matt studied the man for a moment. He was impressed with his manner. At least he wasn't cowering before the presence of the law and he wasn't acting like some thug. Kitty deserved much better than a man of either kind. Still, he wasn't sure Will Stambridge was good enough for her either.

"Alright." Matt tucked his thumbs into his gun belt. "Then I'll be short and to the point. I don't have any say over what Kitty does or doesn't do and who she sees. But I can and will take a hand in things if I ever find out that she's being hurt in any way. So far, she seems happy. But if I ever find out that she isn't…"

"You would never know, Marshal." Will answered somewhat smugly. "Because if she does agree to marry me, I promise you, I would never let her near you."

Matt stiffened at that thought, knowing it to be the truth and yet hating the thought at the same time.

"If she agrees to marry you, Stambridge." Matt's voice was low and feral. "I will stay completely out of it. But whether you let her near me or anything else, I will find out if you ever hurt her. And if you do, I will make sure you don't do it again. Am I understood?"

Will straightened his stance admiring the man before him more than he expected. Dillon may be a fool in not letting Kitty know how much he cared for her but he wasn't such a fool that he'd let her get hurt by anyone if he could prevent it.

"I understand, Marshal. But you have no worries there. I would never hurt Kitty."

Matt didn't reply as Will offered a curt nod and then turned, leaving the jail.

"You'd better not."

End