Unshown Moments for Sarah

This is for BigMommaT who wanted to know what happened when Matt had to spend the night with Sarah

AN: Guest, Phoenix and Gunsmokefan - requests received and I will see what I can do. Looks like I get to watch some more Gunsmoke

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"Matt?" Sarah slid soft blue eyes over to the man sitting up rigidly in the bed beside her.

"Yeah?" He looked over at her. Though she was still pretty, he saw changes in the girl he was knew. Changes that hadn't been particularly good.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I… I just didn't know what else to do. If Pappy…"

"I know, Sarah." Matt sighed. "And it's alright."

"What are you going to tell her?" Sarah watched his face as she asked. He's never mentioned a woman in his life, but she had a feeling there was one.

"Who?" He looked over at her with a frown.

"Whoever it is that you have back in Dodge." Sarah answered. "I know there's someone. Man like you is bound to have a woman that loves him as much as…" She stopped.

She'd loved Matt when they were very young and a part of her still did. But as she looked into his sky blue eyes, she could tell he didn't feel the same towards her. The only thing she saw in his eyes now was kindness and sympathy but no love, at least not for her.

"You, uh, didn't answer me." Sarah pointed out when Matt continued in his silence. "What are you going to tell her?"

"Sarah." Matt sighed. "You need to get some sleep. You don't have to worry about Pappy and his bunch. I'll keep an eye on things." He wasn't about to discuss Kitty with her. They were two separate parts of his life and he wanted to keep them that way.

Sarah sat silently for several moments, before deciding he was right. Rolling to her side, she closed her eyes. "Good night, Matt."

"Good night." He answered.

"Matt?"

He looked over at her. "Yeah?"

"You don't have to tell her anything. She'll know. And she'll know nothing happened."

Matt didn't answer. He had no answer. Sarah was right. Kitty probably would know the first part at least. Sincerely, he hoped she knew the last as well.

Matt started to get up from the bed and make himself a pallet in the floor, but Sarah instantly reached out and grabbed his hand as she sat up and looked at him. "When you get home, sit her down and tell her about this. Be honest and you won't have anything to worry about. If she loves you have as much as I did, as a part of me still does, she'll understand, Matt."

"Go to sleep, Sarah." Matt said quietly acknowledging her words without saying it. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Alright." She released his hand and laid back down. "But if she doesn't understand, you can always come back here, Matt." She added. "I'll always take you."

Matt didn't respond, as he pulled the cover up over her. He thought Kitty would probably understand the situation he was in, but if she didn't, he knew he wouldn't be able to come back here to Sarah. His heart would never allow him to do that.

If Kitty were to turn him away, he'd just have to hang around her until she relented. Because as Sarah had once loved him, Matt loved Kitty.

End