Hello, I'm back, here is chapter three and I hope that this will keep you coming back. It's a bit of a slow start, but I'm working on getting there. I want to thank you for your support and reviews. I will try not to disappoint you all in this new adventure.

Matt sat at his desk looking through the wanted posters, thinking that perhaps the man in Doc's office was wanted. Festus came into the office with mail for the day and a few more wanted posters. "Here's the new posters, Mathew. Did you find anything yet?" Festus asked handing the mail over to Matt.

Matt reached up and took the mail as he laid the last poster down on the pile. He took the posters and opened them quickly looking through them and once again he found nothing.

"He's not wanted, at least as far as I can tell." Matt said getting up from his desk and walking over to the stove. Taking a mug from the shelf, he poured himself a cup of coffee and gulped down a mouthful of the hot liquid. "I wonder if he's conscious yet." He set down the cup, walked over to the door and pulled his hat off of the rack and headed out the door. The early morning sun shone brightly on the mostly empty street of Dodge. Matt headed for Doc's office. But before he headed there, he wanted to make one quick stop at the Long Branch and have a chat with Kitty. The fight at the Silver Dollar Saloon, kept him busy into the wee hours of the morning and he had been unable to get to see her. Entering the saloon, he noticed Sam wiping down the bar and still setting up for the days crowd.

"Good morning, Marshal." Sam said looking up at him.

"Good morning, Sam, is Miss Kitty up yet?" He said heading for the stairs.

"Miss Kitty never got in last night. Sally said she was up at Doc's helping out with his new patients." Sam said.

"Oh, okay, thanks." He said as he turned and headed back out of the saloon. He slowly makes his way up to Doc's office.

Doc was drinking a cup of coffee when Matt came into the office. The man was still unconscious. Doc looks up from his desk. "Good morning, Matt." Doc said softly, then pressed his pointer to his lips to keep Matt quiet as he walked over to the bedroom door and pulled it closed, as not to disturb Kitty and the child. "How is he, Doc, Matt asked quietly.

"Hasn't changed. That lung sounds bad, Matt, I couldn't get to the bullet before there was too much damage. Now all we can do is wait." Doc said looking over at his patient.

"What about the Baby?" He asked pointing to the door.

"Her fever's broken, and she's taken some water. Ma's gonna bring some broth later and Kitty's gonna try and get her to drink a bit if she can." Doc said watching Matt closely.

"Doc, do you think, do you think Kitty is getting too attached, too quickly." He said scratching his forehead in confusion.

"I just think that she has an opportunity to mother the child, and she's just needing to help is all." He said trying to convince himself as well as Matt.

One year ago, Kitty was pregnant with Matt's child, but she had lost the child after three months. It had devastated Kitty on the inside, but to the world you would never have known differently. She could not show weakness. She had to be strong for Matt.

"It's been a year since the baby, sometimes I fear that she will finally break apart." He said worriedly looking at the door.

"Matt, Kitty is a lot stronger than you think. She's not mourning the loss of that baby the way you think. She's mourned for her child, and she goes on. Granted, I'm sure it is still hurting to some extent, but she's not trying to fill an emptiness if that's what your thinking." Doc said defending her.

"I'm just worried about her is all, Doc." He said walking back to Doc. "I don't know if she really ever grieved for the baby. There were a few days when she did cry, but she seemed to push it all back too quickly and I think…I think she did it for me." Matt sat his hat on the desk. "I wanted that little one badly and when she told me she was carrying my baby, I just about busted with pride." Matt said. "I just don't want her getting too wrapped up with this child and getting hurt."

"Kitty's a big girl, Matt, she can take care of herself and she would let you know it she was having a problem. She doesn't keep anything from you, you told me that yourself." He said.

"You're right, she does talk to me." Matt said. It was at this time that Kitty came out of the bedroom. She quietly pulled the door closed as not to wake the child. She then saw the two men staring at her. Smiling she straightens her clothing then walks towards the two guilty gentlemen.

"Good morning, Kitty." They said in unison

"Okay boys, what's up?" She said as Doc stood up.

"Nothing." Matt said trying to look innocent but failing.

"Alright, do I have to bribe you into telling me why you two are looking at me as though I'm dying?" She said.

Matt coughed and laughed nervously. "Awww, Kitty, we're just worried about you and the little baby in there." Matt said.

"Yeah, were just worried about you that's all." Doc said as Kitty smiled at him.

"Look, I know what you're both thinking, I'm fine though. And that little baby in there is the answer to my prayers." She said to their dismay.

"Kitty, we don't even know who he is," Doc said pointing at the unconscious man on the bed. "More than likely it is his daughter."

"She is his daughter. Her name is Shayona and she's three years eight months and four days. Her father is White Eagle, son of Chief Walking Bear." Kitty told them.

"She told you all this?" Matt asked.

"No." Kitty said waiting for them to ask her more questions.

"Then how do you know that?" Doc asked her.

"She's my daughter." She said waking for the other shoe to drop.

"What?" Matt and Doc both said at the same time.

"She's my baby." She said taking a deep breath. "I know I owe you both an explanation, I'm just….I'm just so tired right now. Please don't hate me, Matt." She said as tears fell down her cheeks. He didn't know what to say. All he could do was pull her into his arms and hold her and hope that she wasn't losing grip of reality. Questions burned in his mind, but, as she leaned against him and sobbed, he couldn't ask not one question. He needed to comfort her. She was his entire world and he would do whatever was necessary to keep her there, in his arms, in his life.

TBC

I know what you're thinking, you're gonna kill me for stopping here. I wanted to get this out to try and get your attention and show you that I do have adventure, angst, romance, and so on involved in this new Gunsmoke Fiction by yours truly. I will forever be a Gunsmoke Fan. I just have not time for the original PTB (Powers That Be.) So I always borrow them with every intention of making things so much better for Matt, Kitty, Doc, Festus, and the rest of the gang.

Thank you,

KR