Doc packed the last of the ice around Kitty's head, and then sat in the chair next to the makeshift bed of freezing shards that surrounded her. He picked up her wrist and looked at the second hand of his watch; her pulse was slowing down some, but it was still dangerously rapid. He set her arm down, and put his watch away, taking a swipe at his mustache with his hand. Doc leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs and arms, and watched the rise and fall of Kitty's chest. He looked into her pale face and felt the reality that what he was doing simply might not be enough, pressing down upon him. He closed his eyes against the sharp pain in his belly. A pain that was spawned by his fear, his uncertainty, and his guilt. He pressed a hand against the center of his stomach, and leaned over, a grimace tightening his face as the intensity grew. Involuntarily, Doc shivered; he couldn't afford to give in to anything he was feeling and he knew it. Kitty needed him.

"D-doc?"

He looked up at her, trying to cover the pain on his face. "I'm right here, Kitty."

She reached out a weak hand for him. "I'm s-so c-cold."

He took her hand and stood next to her, putting his other hand on her forehead. "I know ya are, honey. I've packed ya in ice."

"I-ice?"

"It's gonna cool you down some."

"I f-feel cool n-now."

"Not much longer, Kitty, and then I'll getcha outta here and putcha back in your bed. I just want to make sure your fever's down before I do."

She squeezed his hand. "Are y-you all r-right?"

He smiled at her. "Of course I am."

"You d-don't l-look so good, D-doc."

He leaned over and brushed his lips across her brow. "Don't you worry none about me."

Festus watched with disdain as Matt poured himself another cup of coffee. "Now Matthew, you knowed yer sposta be in bed, and not up and around."

Dillon looked over at his deputy from his desk. "I'm not up and around, Festus, I'm just sitting down instead of lying down. I can't stand to spend another day in bed."

"Yer sposta be restin'...sittin' there like that, lookin' through paperwork ain't restin'."

"I'll go back to bed when I'm tired, Festus. Don't you have anything else to do?"

"Like whut?"

"Like check in on Doc... "

"Yeah, I spose I orta. He ain't a-hollerin' fer nothin' though..." The deputy turned and looked Dillon in the eye. "I'm a little worried about him, Matthew. He didn't look so good yesterday."

"You wouldn't either if you hadn't slept for two weeks, and you'd taken care of an entire sick town." Dillon's mouth pulled into a straight line. "Why don't you go and find out how Kitty is, and take a good look at him while you're at it?"

"I'll do her, Matthew, and be back directly."

Doc emptied another spoonful of broth into Kitty's mouth and smiled at her. "Thatta girl. You keep improvin' at this rate, and I might consider letting Festus up here to see you tomorrow."

She grinned slightly at him. "Maybe you should let Festus spell you for awhile, Doc."

He glared at her, but she could see a tiny twinkle in his exhausted blue eyes. "Tired of my company are ya? Do I have to remind you that you got yourself into this mess?"

She took ahold of his hand tightly in hers. "You look exhausted, Doc, and I'm worried about you."

"That's...well that's ridiculous. There ain't nothin' wrong with me that a few days of rest won't cure. And I'll take that rest, but not until you're out of the woods, and I'm the one who will decide when that is."

He tried to pull his hand away, but Kitty held onto it. "If you think I haven't noticed that belly ache you've had for two days, you're not foolin' anyone but yourself." He glared at her, but said nothing, so she continued. "You've been so busy takin' care of all of us, you haven't taken care of you at all."

He looked down at their clasped hands, sat down on the edge of the bed next to her, and covered their hands with his free one. She couldn't help but notice the dark circles that lined his eyes, nor the dullness in the normally fiery steel orbs of blue.

His voice was hoarse with exhaustion, but he smiled at her. "As soon as I'm sure that you're not gonna have a relapse of some kind, I promise you that I'll let Festus, and Matt when he's up to it, take care of you, and I'll put myself to bed for a few days. But in the meantime, I'm the boss here, and I want you to get some more sleep, understand?"

She frowned slightly at him. "It's not one of the symptoms of this..."

"What?"

"A belly ache. I don't remember one person who complained of stomach pain."

He brushed a soft hand over her brow and cheek a few times. "It's nothin' a little milk won't fix, and I'll ask Festus ta bring me some." He could see she was still not satisfied and he sighed deeply. "It happens to me every now and again, and I promise you with a little rest and more attention to my diet, I'll be fine in a few weeks." Her eyes still held concern, and he leaned in to kiss her forehead. "I promise you. Now go to sleep."

He sat with her, stroking her head with his hand until he heard the knock on the front door of the Longbranch. With more effort than it should have taken, Doc stood and walked down the stairs, opening the door to find Festus standing there.

"Howdy Doc..." The deputy's brow tightened at the sight of the physician. "Yer lookin' a little wored out, Doc.

His voice was a growl, "Is there anyone around here who'll just let me be?"

Doc walked away from the open door, and Festus followed him in. "How's Miss Kitty, Doc?"

"She's much better, Festus. Matter of fact, I think by tomorrow, I'll let her have a visitor or two, that is if you can think of two people who might want to see her."

"Matthew'll be awful gladsome to hear that, Doc. He's been a-frettin' so about her."

"How's he lookin'?"

Festus raised an eyebrow at the old man. "A dern sight better'n some ol' doctors I seen around."

Adams glared, but changed the subject. "Can you get some solid food for Kitty? I'd like her to have some potato, a little chicken, and some cooked vegetables. Nothin' with gravy or butter, just plain, simple food. Think you can handle that?

Haggen blew air out of his mouth, "Of course I can handle that ya ol' know-it-all. What should I git fer you?"

Adams shook his head. "Nothin' for me Festus, except maybe a little milk."

"Doc...you cain't do that, you need ta eat somethin'..."

The old man growled at the deputy. "I'm the doctor, and I know what I need, and don't you tell me--"

Adams grabbed his stomach in pain, a grimace on his face. Festus took the older man by the arm, and gently sat him in a chair.

"Doc? Doc, whut is it?"

His voice was full of pain, "Oh hell...get me some milk, will you Festus?"

Worry coloring his timbre, Festus answered, "I'll be back right away, Doc, don't you fret none."

Festus went as quickly as he could down to Delmonico's, ordered a plate for Miss Kitty that he'd pick up later, and took a pitcher of milk back to the Longbranch. When he walked in, Doc was still in the chair, holding his stomach, but the look of pain on his face had lessened. Festus grabbed a glass from the bar and poured some milk into it, handing it to the old man.

"Here ya go, Doc."

"Thank you, Festus." Doc drank the glass down, and held it out to the deputy. "One more, old boy."

Fear permeating Haggen's eyes, he wordlessly poured Adams another glass and handed it to him.

Doc downed the second one, and set the glass down on the table, letting air out of his mouth slowly as the rest of the discomfort began to subside.

"Doc, I ain't never seen ya hurtin' like this..."

Adams stifled his desire to bark at the man, largely because the fear was so evident in Haggen's voice. "I'll be all right in a minute, Festus." The large hazel eyes bore into him with concern, and Adams continued. "It ain't nothin'...I'm just tired, Festus, and I ain't been eatin' right, and now my stomach's gonna have a little somethin' to say about it, that's all." He pat Haggen's knee. "Did you order Kitty some food?"

"Yessum, just like ya tolt me."

"Good. Why don't you go fetch it fer me, and I'll rest here for a few minutes?"

"It'll be did, Doc." Festus stood to go, and put a strong hand on the old man's shoulder. "Now you just stay in that chair for a few minutes, ya ol' scudder, ya hear me?"

Doc nodded, and watched Haggen as he walked back out of the saloon. He felt so tired, he just wanted to put his head down and rest for a little while...