Unshown Moments from A Game of Death… An Act of Love S19

Kitty was sitting at her vanity, taking off make-up, removing hair pins and preparing for bed. Stage trips, for some reason, seemed to tire her out more and more now and she was more than ready for some rest.

"Come on in, Matt." She called when she heard a soft tap at her having recognized the sound of his boots in the hall.

"Kitty." He smiled as he entered, hung his hat on a peg by the door and swiftly went to her side, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Sure glad you're back."

Matt let go of her just long enough for Kitty to get up and turn into his arms, wrapping hers around him. "Me too. I missed you."

"I missed you more." Matt said solemnly, causing Kitty to push back and look at him.

"What's wrong, Matt? Is it what happened out at the Sanderson place or something else?"

Matt wasn't surprised that she could read him that well and simply shrugged. "A little bit of everything I guess. With all these Indian raids going on lately and then what happened to Mrs. Sanderson and you out on a stage somewhere, I…"

"I wasn't in any danger, Matt." Kitty quickly reassured him. "And I'm home now so it's okay."

"Is it?" Matt watched her carefully, looking for signs that it wasn't.

Kitty knew all too well what he was talking about. It was the one thing that they usually avoided talking about because of the pain it brought. But occasionally, when something brought it to mind, it had to be brought out, talked about and then put away properly so that it wouldn't fester. She figured now was one of those times. Pulling completely away from him, Kitty stepped over and poured them both a drink, handing him his before she spoke.

"I admit, the raids and what happened to Mrs. Sanderson was a bit… well, disconcerting, but I'm no longer at the stage where I cringe every time I merely hear the word Indian or half breed, Matt. You know that."

"Yeah," he nodded. "But I also know it couldn't have been easy hearing about all of this. And I just don't want you upset by it all."

Kitty gave him a deprecatory smile. "I'm a lot tougher than that, Matt. I've come to grips with what happened to me and I've put it behind me as should you."

"That's easier said than done, Kitty." Matt said, taking a drink of the sorely needed whiskey in his hand. "What happened to you was…"

"Was horrible and a whole host of other things." She shook her head at him. "But I survived it and it's in the past so let's leave it there. Please?"

Matt nodded as he put his drink down and then once again pulled Kitty into his arms. "I love you, Kitty. I don't say it too much. I've never really been good at that. But I do love you."

Kitty leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips. "You don't say it too often, Matt Dillon. That's true. But you usually find a way to show it so it's alright, as long as you show me as often as you can."

Matt grinned and bent down, kissing her soundly before replying. "I'll do just that, Kitty. I'll do just that."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Justice, in my life, is everything, Miss Cora. When you understand that, you will understand me. Good night."

Cora left Wolfe's hotel room uncertain of anything. On one hand, she agreed with him about justice. It should be there for everyone. But on the other, those men had to be guilty. Didn't they? They had her mother's jewelry, after all. Still uncertain of their innocence or guilt, she did know she had to try and protect her father if she could.

That was why she'd gone to Marshal Dillon. She'd hoped he could perhaps see to it that those men wouldn't get by with murdering her mother and at the same time perhaps prevent her father from being called to testify. But the Marshal hadn't helped much either. As she walked from the jail, she could only think of one other person she could talk to. One person who'd had the horrible misfortune to have to deal with renegades. If anyone would know, whether those men were guilty or not and whether or not her father was right or wrong, this person would.

"Kitty?"

Kitty looked up to see Cora standing in the doorway of her office, an uncertain look on her face. "Cora? Hello. Come in. Something I can do for you?"

Cora came in and quietly shut the door behind her before saying anything. When she did turn to Kitty, it was with a strange expression Kitty couldn't quite read. "Kitty, I… I need to know something. And you're the only one that, I believe, can tell me."

Kitty frowned. "Um, okay. Well, what is it that you want to know?"

Cora took a seat next to Kitty's desk and dropped her hands and eyes into her lap. She wasn't quite sure how to broach the subject or frame the question and as equally unsure of Kitty's reaction. But in order to settle everything in her own mind, she had to know. As Kitty sat quietly waiting, she finally mustered up the courage and looked up at the saloon owner.

"Kitty, I don't… need you to go into details but…" she took a deep breath, "but I'm confused about something and I need your help to understand it."

"Okay." Kitty answered. "I'll try to help you. What is it you want to know?"

Cora dropped her head again for a moment to gather more courage. "I… I know what happened to you last year at the… at the hands of those… those animals. Momma wrote me a letter and told me. At least you told me what she knew about it."

"Yes." Kitty answered tightly, already uncomfortable with the subject but willing to listen.

"I… know what they did to you was… was horrible and Papa, he… he told me why they did it, or at least why they said they did it. But…" She finally brought her head back up and met Kitty's gaze. "I… What was done to mama was… she was… well, I don't know for sure but… well, although they killed her, I don't think they…" She got up from the chair and paced away from Kitty, her face inflamed at the thought of what she'd been told had been done to the beautiful woman in front of her.

"Cora." Kitty's voice was calm and controlled. "I don't know exactly what happened to your mother, other than she was killed. But if you're wondering whether she suffered or not based on what I went through…"

"No." Cora turned to her. "I mean, well, I know she must've suffered, maybe not as badly as you did but, well, to know you're going to die… well, it had to have been horrible."

"It was." Kitty answered softly causing Cora's eyes to widen. "I didn't die because I had the best doctor on earth beside me and the love of someone special to pull me through. But… when I was with Jude Bonner and his men, I was alone and I had no doubts that he was going to at least try to kill me. It's not something I wish for anyone." She watched the girl for a moment before continuing. "But I don't think that's what you wanted to know, is it?"

Cora slowly shook her head. "No, Ma'am. I… I was talking to Mr. Wolfe, that lawyer who's defending those… people. He doesn't think they're guilty. I think it's because he doesn't think they're the type who would do this but… I… I do think they are. I mean look what men like them did to you. But Mr. Wolfe said some things that… well…"

Kitty suddenly figured that she understood what the girl was trying to ask. "Cora." She sighed. "If you're wanting me to tell you that all Indians are the same and that your pa is right in what's he doing, I can't. Jude Bonner was an angry and vengeful and cruel man and it had less to do with his heritage than his character. I think he would have done the same things to me and all the other people he hurt, if he'd been white. I don't believe a person's race makes them bad or good. I think it has to do with their character and the events and people in their lives that shaped them."

Cora frowned. "Then you agree with Mr. Wolfe? I mean, you don't think those men at the jail are guilty?"

"I don't know about that, Cora." Kitty answered. "I wasn't there. I just think that until we do know everything and unless we get some evidence to prove their guilt, there is a possibility that what Mr. Wolfe believes is true and that those men are innocent. I think we should let the law take it's course and wait and see. If they are guilty, I have no doubt they will be punished."

Cora smiled for the first time since entering the office, her heart a little lighter before another thought crossed her mind and the smile faded. "Kitty…" She paused. "How… how did you deal with what those men did you? Mother was killed but if she hadn't of been, I… I don't know that she could've regained her life the way you did. How… how did you do it?"

Kitty smiled. "One day at a time, Cora." She answered. "I gathered my courage and kept those who love me around at all times and though it was slow, I did it. You can do anything if you have love and courage and time."

END