Unshown Moments for Kitty Caught Season 3

This is for Guest

AN: This one was difficult. I didn't want to tread on ground that other, better writers have already walked and yet I wanted to do something that would fit into the episode, at least almost. I did my best, but please forgive me if it wasn't quite good enough. I have a couple of other, upcoming ones that I will probably say the same thing about.

"Mr. Dillon I just hate the thought that Miss Kitty is in there with them two, all night." Chester was worried. He truly didn't want to see anything happen to Miss Kitty and with bandits such as these, it was entirely possible.

"They do anything to her, by… I'll tear their throats out." Matt wanted right then and there to go marching down to the shack and pull both men out and beat the living daylights out of them. But he knew it wouldn't work. Kitty would be killed instantly if he tried anything like that. Still it was tempting.

"Mr. Dillon?" Chester's voice was soft. "If we're gonna try and catch them two in the morning, don't ya think we oughta get some sleep?"

"You go ahead, Chester." Matt answered as he continued to stare at the old cabin. "I'm not that tired."

Inside the cabin, Kitty sat quietly next to the boarded up window, watching two brothers coming close to killing each other. The youngest one had made a move on her and then asked his brother for his share of the money when she'd rejected him. She supposed, he thought he could impress her with the stolen bank money.

The only thing that truly impressed her was that the two men hadn't actually shot each other. But they both calmed down and the younger one apologized, after promising to shoot her if she needed it. Kitty kept her silence, praying Matt was somewhere out there but knowing there was nothing he could do if he was.

After sending his brother to bed, Jed once again tried her, offering her coffee as a bribe. Kitty took the cup but only gave the contents the barest of consideration. Though she'd had nothing to eat or drink for more than a day, she wasn't about to trade her soul for it.

Barely blinking an eye, Kitty threw it in his face.

Angrily Jed grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet and pulling his gun.

"You're not going to shoot me." Kitty said with certainty. "I stand between you and the law, remember?"

"I could still fetch you up, good." He threatened again.

"You just try it, Mister." Kitty narrowed her eyes at him but never looked away. "And I'll scratch your eyes out."

For several seconds, Jed stared at her. He had no doubts she meant what she said and though he was sure he could probably overpower her, there was something about the red headed spitfire that held him at bay at the same time she intrigued him. Finally, releasing her arm, he pushed back down on the bench.

"You sit there and just be quiet." He ordered.

"Or what?" Kitty snapped. "We've already established; you're not going to do anything to me? You're too afraid of the Marshal and me both."

"SHUT UP!" Jed growled and reached for her again but Kitty backed up.

"Just try it, Mister." She warned in a low feral voice.

Swallowing hard, Jed squared his shoulders and turned away, wiping the coffee off his face with his sleeve. For several seconds he said nothing but finally he turned back to her. "I get you out of that law man's territory and I'll do worse than then fetch you up. A whole lot worse."

Kitty met his hard stare evenly, knowing it best not to back down. "We'll see." She replied calmly. "You've not done it yet."

Outside, some distance from the cabin, Matt sat, intently watching the small, decrepit building, halfway wishing one of them would come outside and he could get a hold of him. But he knew if were to try anything, the one inside would kill Kitty. Besides, morning would be better for what he planned.

Never a man to shoot someone without giving them a chance, Matt knew that was exactly what he was going to do in this instance. Jed Gunter and his brother had proven they couldn't be given any chances. They'd kill Kitty if he tried. And that was one thing Matt was not about to see happen. If he had to kill an army of Gunters, he wasn't about to let her get hurt.

Glancing over at Chester, Matt saw that he'd already gone to sleep, leaving him to sit this vigil alone. But that was alright, he favored that. He needed to be free of Chester's constant chatter so that he could listen while he waited, ready to burst into the cabin should he hear anything that might mean they were harming Kitty.

Early the next morning, Kitty met the rising sun with something less than glee. She'd not dared to go to sleep the night before and so had sat up, staring out of the boarded up window, wondering just where Matt was. That he was out there, she had no doubts. She just didn't know exactly 'where' out there he was.

Jed, who'd stayed up half the night then woke his brother to stand guard the second half, walked into the main room of the old shack and sneered at her. "You have a good night?" He asked derisively.

Kitty cast him a glare, then returned her gaze to what lay just beyond the window without answer. She could've sworn that she saw something, or hopefully someone out there.

"You still looking for that lawman?" He goaded, still getting no reply. "Well, if you see him, kiss your sweet hide goodbye. He knows I'll do what I say."

Kitty continued to maintain her silence and to keep her back to him as he set about making a pot of coffee.

"You really think he might be out there?" Billy cast a concerned look out of the window.

"Naw." Jed shook his head. "He ain't out there. He knows better."

Kitty ignored him as she saw another flash and this time she was positive what, or more likely who it was. Forcing herself to remain emotionless and still, she betrayed nothing of Matt's presence outside.

"I'll fix something for breakfast." Billy volunteered but Jed shook his head. "Uh, huh. We need to get going. Just drink your coffee and we'll take off."

"Well, what about her?" Billy nodded at Kitty.

"I already told her, she gets nothing til she starts acting friendly. She ain't done it yet." Jed stared at her but received no response. "It's alright, Kitty." He smirked. "When you get hungry and thirsty enough, you'll be friendly to us. You'll be real friendly."

"Ain't you even gonna let her have some coffee?" Billy asked.

"No." Jed growled at his younger brother. "And if you don't hurry, you won't get it either. Now get a move on. Drink your coffee and then get packed up."

Kitty remained silent as she picked up her jacket and put it back on, buttoning it up. She didn't know what would happen when they got outside but she wanted to be ready for it.

As soon as the men drank a cup of coffee each, they rose, grabbed their ill-gotten money, and headed out of the door, pushing Kitty out ahead of them. "Go on." Jed snarled as shoved her hard towards the back, where the horses were stowed.

Kitty allowed him to push her and instinctively flattened herself against the side of the cabin, covering her head just as a shot came, then another, felling both of the outlaws. Kitty had just begun to look up when she noticed that Jed wasn't dead and was reaching for Matt's gun aiming to keep his promise to kill her with it. Another shot stopped that attempt.

Kitty looked up to see the most beautiful sight, she'd ever beheld. Matt was rushing to her. "Oh, Matt!" She cried. "Are they dead?" Now that the worst was over and Matt was there she was beginning to feel lightheaded.

"Yeah, Kitty." He answered as he took her into his arms. "They're dead."

"Good." She managed before the lights went out completely.

When Kitty awoke, she found herself back inside the ruined old cabin, a wet cloth on her forehead and Matt sitting beside her, a worried look on his face. "Ma… Matt?" She started to rise, but Matt gently held her down by the shoulders.

"Stay still, Kitty." He smiled, so happy to see her awake. "You just lay back there and rest. I don't reckon you got much of that yesterday or last night."

"No." Kitty answered. "I didn't. I… I was scared, Matt. I…"

"I know, Honey." He smiled. "I was too."

"You, Matt?" She'd known him for a while now and she'd never known him to be scared of anything.

"I was scared they'd hurt you before I could stop them. I was scared I might not see you again." Matt locked gazes with her, letting her know, silently that he meant what he was saying. "I couldn't bear the thought of that, Kitty."

Kitty reached up, caressing his face with a soft hand, before pulling him forward to her. But suddenly Chester could be heard at the door.

"Mr. Dillon, I got your saddle bags like ya told me."

"Alright, Chester." Matt shook his head, irritated at his assistants timing. "We're going to fix you something to eat and get you some coffee before we leave here." Matt looked back down at Kitty with a grin and a tease in his voice. "Can't have you fainting away again on us."

"I wouldn't mind, if you caught me again." She smiled back.

Matt's smile stayed in place but his teasing tone disappeared. "I will always try to be there to do just that, Kitty."

Kitty nodded, silently acknowledging what he wasn't saying out loud as he got up to help Chester. Matt Dillon loved her. Whether he ever said it publically or even to her, it didn't matter. He came for her not just because of his job, but because of his heart. The same one he'd given to her.

End