Unshown Moments from Help Me Kitty, Season 10 (1)

AN: Thank you all again for the kind reviews. I'm still dealing with real life but at least it's eased enough to allow me to do a little writing. Hopefully, in a couple of months it'll ease enough for me to sit down and thank you all individually. In the meantime, please accept my sincere gratitude for your generosity in spirit and sheer niceness.

"Morning, Doc." Matt nodded at the physician when he met him outside of Delmonico's for breakfast.

"Yes, it is." Doc answered.

"It is what?" Matt frowned at him.

"Morning." Doc replied then gave Matt a speculative look. "What are you so happy about. anyway? Kitty's not due back in town for at least a couple more days."

Matt ignored Doc's question and his grumpy greeting as he held the door for him and they went in to eat breakfast. He knew Doc missed Kitty too. He doubted he missed her as much as he himself did and he knew it wasn't for the same reason but Doc did miss Kitty when she was out of town and was usually grumpier in her absence.

After ordering breakfast, Matt sat back in his chair and looked around the café at the rest of the patrons. He spotted Ed across the room, sitting at a table alone and looking pretty sullen. Before she'd left to take Hope home, Kitty had told him about the young man and how he'd treated the girl. Quint had also filled him in on how he'd acted towards him. Matt didn't have too favorable an opinion of the young cad.

"Marshal?" Matt's attention was just then diverted to Barney who was coming in with a yellow square of paper in his hand. "I've got a wire for you."

Inwardly groaning, Matt held out his hand for the missive and nodded at the telegrapher in thanks. Opening the paper, he quickly scanned the document and a change came over his face. A change Doc noticed immediately.

"What's wrong?" Doc asked, taking a sip of the coffee Joe had just poured for him.

"Stage to Garden City didn't make it in." He said as he put some coins on the table, grabbed his hat and stood.

"Well," Doc's brow furrowed. "Isn't that the stage Kitty and Hope were on?"

"Yeah." Matt answered with a tight jaw. "See ya later, Doc."

As he quickly left the café, Doc didn't have to ask where he was going or why. He understood. He just hoped that Matt found the stage and its occupants unharmed.

Within an hour, Matt's saddlebags were packed, his horse was saddled and he was on his way out of town. Doc watched from the doors of the Long Branch, Sam right behind him, as he rode by.

"I sure hope he finds them." Sam sighed as he watched him disappear down the road.

Doc turned and looked at the bar man with a slight scowl. "He will. If he has to go to hell and back, he'll find them."

End