Unshown Moments for Big Broad, Season 1

"You!"

Kitty turned around to see Lena Wave glaring at her. Kitty wasn't easily frightened and it took a lot to cause her to back down from anyone or anything, but then again, Lena was more than a mere lot. She was a whole acre. She'd already punched Chester out a couple of hours ago and convincingly threatened three other men. Kitty could only guess what she'd do to her.

Still, she couldn't allow Lena Wave to intimidate her. "What?" She asked roughly as she left the side of the cowboy she'd been talking to and turned fully to stare back at Big Lena across the bar room.

"You looking at my man?" Lena demanded to know.

"Your… your man?" Kitty couldn't help but laugh. "Are you kidding?"

Lena took a closer step to her and tucked her hands into her sides, feet wide apart. "You sayin' you wasn't makin' eyes at Emmit?"

Kitty crossed her arms against her chest and nodded. "That's right. I wasn't making eyes at him or anyone else."

"That ain't the way I saw it." Lena declared.

"Then maybe you oughta get your eyes checked." Kitty answered insolently.

"Maybe I oughta blacken yours." Lena took an even closer step, expecting to see Kitty flinch and back down. But she was surprised when the defiant red head merely stared back at her.

"You won't." Kitty answered coolly.

"What makes you so sure?" Lena questioned in a low voice. She was getting sort of frustrated that the saloon girl wasn't cowering away from her the way so many bigger and stronger men had.

"Because I'm not scared of you." Kitty answered. "You can't buffalo me like you can everyone else."

Lena clenched her fists and turned on her glare, full force. But Kitty still refused to back down and it made Lena a little nervous, especially when she saw that a great number of people in the saloon were turned in their direction, watching and waiting to see what would happen.

Lena was still trying to think of something to say, when a voice was heard from behind her and gave her a way out. "You gonna give me another card or not?"

With an almost audible sigh of relief, Lena turned away from the insolent girl in front of her and barked at Emmit. "Emmit, deal those cards!"

Kitty kept a victorious smile in check as she went back to the cowboy and resumed her conversation.

But later that night, she noticed Lena's eyes on her and again she turned to stare at the woman who looked, acted and smelled like a man. She wasn't sure what it was that the woman wanted to prove but she was prepared to meet her challenge should it come to that.

Lena met the red head's eyes for just the briefest of moments and then turned away. She'd already lost one battle of wills with her and she wasn't about to lose another. Besides, she didn't want the saloon girl to see how envious she was of her. That had been the reason she'd challenged her in the first place.

Kitty Russell was everything that Lena wanted to be and knew she never could be. Though not short, she wasn't as tall as Lena and she had the perfect figure, with a beautiful face and hair and a smile that drew men like flies. And from what she'd learned from others, the girl was book smart too. Lena didn't feel like she measured up to all that.

But there was something more that Kitty had, that Lena didn't think she did and it bothered her more than anything.

Nothing had been said, or really even hinted at, but Lena saw the look in the Marshal's eyes whenever he glanced in the red head's direction and she could tell how much he favored her. Kitty Russell didn't have to intimidate Matt Dillon in order to get his attention. She only had to smile.

"Lena?" Emmit timidly spoke up, breaking her train of thought. "I… I, uh, need to take a break. I… I have to…"

"Well, for goodness sakes, Emmit!" Lena snapped him. "Don't be mealy mouthed. If you have to go to the outhouse, say it and then do it."

"Alright." He mumbled as he put down his cards and headed towards the back door and the alleyway behind it.

With an exasperated sigh, Lena watched him go and then glanced one more time at Kitty, wondering what it would be like to have a man like Matt Dillon at her side inside of a man who wouldn't even defend himself much less her. Going over to the bar, Lena ordered a whiskey and then stood back with her drink and a sigh.

She doubted Emmit would ever show her the kind of attention she desired, the kind of attention Kitty Russell garnered. But closing her eyes as she swallowed her drink, she knew she sure wished he would.

END