Unshown Moments for The Prisoner (2)

AN: It seems to me I've said this a time or two, but it bears repeating occasionally. These little moments are solely the product of my imagination. In some cases they may not bear any resemblance to the show as you see it or even the time period the show was set in. I sometimes write things the way, I wanted to see them, rather than how other people think they were. I do again implore you to put pen to paper and write one of these yourself if you feel you have a better idea of what happened. I would love to read it. Have a good day and happy reading.

"Sam, a round of drinks over here. Please?" Kitty called as she and Matt helped Steven Downing into the Long Branch and to a table. "There." She smiled at the young man once he was seated. "After you have your drink, we'll get you back to bed where you belong."

"Yeah," Matt nodded. "I've got a nice comfortable cot over at the jail."

"Jail?" Steven and Kitty both looked up at Matt in surprise.

"Yeah, jail." Matt answered. "In case the two of you have forgotten, you've not been cleared of murder charges." He looked at Steven before returning his gaze to Kitty. "Until that happens, you still stand accused of murdering Mathison's wife."

Kitty looked at the boy who looked quite ill and then back at Matt. "Well, do we have to keep him in the jail? That place is awfully drafty and with him being sick and all…"

"It…" Steven interrupted. "It's alright, Ma'am." He said softly. "The Marshal's right. Unless I can get this cleared up, jail's best place for me."

"No it's not." Kitty shook her head as she looked imploringly over at Matt. "Matt, he's not in good shape. And we can keep the door to his room locked and…"

"That didn't help last time, Ma'am." Stephen reminded her.

Matt's brow rose. "Last time?"

"Uh, yes, sir." Stephen ignored Kitty's quick, negative shake of her head. "When I heard that Mathison was coming here, I panicked. I picked the lock on the door and well…"

"You what?" Matt asked with suspicion.

"Well, I went down to Miss Kitty's office and was looking for money and…"

"And he didn't find any." Kitty suddenly put in. She didn't want Matt to know what Steven had done out of desperation, aside from breaking into her office. She knew he wasn't too happy about her part in this whole thing in the first place. If Matt found out that Steven had manhandled her in that same desperation, he might not be so kind towards the boy. "That was when I came in and convinced him to tell me everything and then got Festus to help me hide him." She finished quickly.

Steven didn't know the exact nature of the relationship between the saloon owner and the marshal, but when she purposely kept part of the story from the big man, he figured it was more than just friends. It was plain, by the way the marshal looked at the beautiful red head that he was concerned about her. Steven decided it was best to keep quiet.

Matt looked seriously at Kitty. He had a suspicion she wasn't telling him everything, but he decided to let it go for then. "You want to press charges against him for breaking into your office?"

"Of course, not." Kitty shook her head. "But I do want to put him up someplace other than the jail. Besides, won't you have Mathison in there for trying to hang Steven?"

"That's up to him." Matt nodded at the young man between them.

"Me?" Steven frowned.

'Yeah," Matt nodded. "If you want to press charges against him, I'll arrest him for attempted murder. He might still get out of it but…"

"Uh, no, Marshal." Steven waved a hand as he shook his head. "I don't want to do that. It wouldn't make no difference in what's gonna happen to me and I figure he's got enough grief, with his wife dead and you shooting his arm and all that."

"Alright." Matt answered. "Then I'll warn him to leave town as soon as he's able and I'll make sure he stays away from you while you're here."

"I appreciate that, Marshal." Steven looked over at Kitty. "I appreciate everything both of you have done for me. I ain't so sure I can repay you."

"You don't have to." Kitty smiled at him. "Just promise not to get yourself tried for murder again if you get out of this."

"I sure will, Ma'am." Steven grinned at her. "I sure will."

Later that night, Matt and Kitty sat quietly in her room watching the fire die down in the fireplace. After a bit of conversation, it was decided that it was best for Steven to be placed in Doc's care at his office for at least the night, while Festus sat guard. Matt seriously doubted the boy would try to run but he didn't intend to take chances.

Mathison, after being tended to by Doc, was resting comfortably, if a little angrily, over at the Dodge House and Newly was watching him. Matt intended to make sure he left town the next day. But that would be the next day. Right then, Mathison was not on Matt's list of things to care about.

"Matt." Kitty looked up softly at him. "I want to thank you for all you did to help Steven. I appreciate that."

"Well, it wasn't just for him, ya know." Matt smiled. "I mean, I agree with you, that guilty or innocent he wasn't going to get a fair trial in Mathison County and I would've helped him on that basis alone. But…"

He paused and Kitty frowned slightly. "But?"

"But, I'm not sure I would've ridden out in a storm the way I did if it'd a been for him alone." He continued with a grin. "You know, it seems to me you made me a promise about that."

Kitty pursed her lips in mock thought, a mischievous smile lurking about her lips. "I did?" She pretended to have forgotten until Matt bent down and quickly claimed her lips in a kiss that made both of them breathless.

"You remember now?" He asked with an arched brow.

"I'm beginning to." She grinned. "But you might need to refresh my memory."

Matt quickly got to his feet and grabbed her hand. "Come on and I'll do just that."

END