Dry Route to Dodge

A Gunsmoke Story

by MAHC (Amanda)

Chapter Three: Some Way to Pass the Time

POV: Matt

Spoilers: "Daddy-O"

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I did not create these characters, but I love them.

"She WHAT?"

Doc Adams and Festus Haggen flinched in tandem as the marshal slammed his hands down onto his desk, but Matt Dillon didn't feel a bit of remorse. What the hell were they thinking letting Kitty go all the way to Kansas City by herself to tend to a man who had never done anything for her except cause pain? Not that he didn't think she could take care of herself. He had learned long ago – the hard way – not to question that ability. But he hated to think she was traveling all that way with nothing to do but mull over the years of heartache that sorry excuse for a parent had caused.

Mostly, though, his anger came from guilt, guilt over not being there, guilt over once again letting his job get in the way of her needs. But since he couldn't yell at the federal judge over in Hays City, and he couldn't yell at the no-account thief whose trial had dragged him there, he settled for the closest victims.

"Well, it ain't as if me n' Doc pushed her onto that thar train, Matthew," Festus was explaining with his usual gesticulations. "You know if'n thar's somethin' Miz Kitty has a mind ta do, she's a gonna do it."

True enough, but he wasn't in the mood to acknowledge his deputy's insight. "Why didn't one of you go with her?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Doc responded this time, scratching at his head and grimacing. "We offered, Matt. I told her I'd look at him myself, but she wouldn't hear of it. Said it was something she just had to do herself. You know how she is."

He did, indeed. She was strong, and fiery, and independent. And he loved her for it. But sometimes she was just so stubborn –

XXXX

He had only been back from Hays City a half hour of so before he could no longer resist the urge to go by the Long Branch. If not the first place he visited after being away form Dodge, it was never far down the list. Despite the long trip and the weariness in his back and legs, he found his step a bit lighter as he approached the familiar saloon doors. The sound of laughter, the smell of tobacco, and the sight of colorful dresses greeted him. It was a comfortable sensation.

The worn, but pleasant, face of Sam Noonan smiled at him when he leaned against the bar. "Welcome back, Marshal," he said, wiping out a shot glass. "You look like a man who could use a little thirst-quenching."

In more ways than one, Matt thought. "That I could," he agreed, pushing his hat back from his forehead. Then, too anxious to be subtle, he asked, "Is Kitty around?"

The lined face fell a bit, as Sam set a mug of beer in front of the tall lawman. "Oh, Marshal, I thought you knew."

Matt's heart twisted and tightened against the ominous words he might hear next, but the bartender only said, "She took off for a few days. Said she needed a little break. Don't guess I blame her. Been mighty busy lately."

Willing his heart rate to slow back to normal, Matt nodded as calmly as he could. "I see."

He took a gulp of beer, set it back on the bar, and headed straight out the doors, both relieved and irritated at once. It wasn't unusual for Kitty to take trips by herself. Many times business took her to Topeka, or Denver, or even as far away as San Francisco. But she always let him know, always arranged for a special evening before she left. And this time – if what Sam said was correct – this time it was just a vacation. By herself? Or – he shook his head. No, he knew her better than that, and because he did, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

He didn't have to look very far in his pursuit of answers. Festus and Doc, engaged in a competition of checkers at the jail, had provided all the information he needed. A telegram had arrived two days after he left for Hays City, asking Kitty to come to Kansas City; her father was gravely ill. So she had, obviously not wanting anyone else – even Sam – to know the real reason.

XXXX

Standing before Doc and Festus, he tried to dampen the anger and worry that ate away at him. With a push away from his desk, he rested his hands on his belt and took a breath, giving up on assigning blame, since it wouldn't do any good anyway.

"When did she leave?" he sighed.

"She took the noon train outta here four days ago," Festus said.

"Four days? And you haven't heard from her?"

"Nairy a word."

"And it didn't occur to you to send her a wire and make sure she got there?"

The two other men eyed each other nervously. Pressing his lips together, Matt gritted his teeth, jerked his hat off the hook with more force than necessary, and slung open the jailhouse door. "I'm taking the next train," he informed them. "Festus, get Newly up here to help you."

"I'll do 'er, Matthew," the deputy called after him.

But he didn't hang around to hear, already striding from the office and down the dusty boardwalk.

XXXX

He hadn't known how she would react, hadn't really thought that far ahead. He just knew he needed to be with her, needed to offer what he could in the way of support and comfort after her ordeal. The last time she had seen her father, he had weaseled and cajoled his way back into her life, only to show his true colors as a con artist and sneak. It had taken every ounce of control Matt had not to throw him physically onto that stage and run him out of town.

If Kitty was walking back into such a mess, she might need him again. And he was damned if he wasn't going to be there for her.

He had gotten there too late, had found out from the hospital that Wayne Russell was dead, but it didn't take much investigation to locate the mortician who had taken care of the body, and Fate must have played a part in depositing him outside the cemetery gates as the funeral ended.

The graveyard was large, evidence of a thriving city, and it took him a minute to locate her. But as soon as he saw the familiar, trim figure, he knew he had done the right thing. Alone, the most forlorn sight he thought he had ever seen, she stood by the fresh grave, gazing down. He wanted to go to her, to wrap her in his arms, but something kept him back. Something told him she needed this moment. So he waited.

She turned and stopped when she saw him. He smiled in encouragement – and just because he couldn't help but smile at seeing her again, even under the circumstances. Any qualms he might have had about her reaction vanished with her first words.

"Oh, Matt."

He opened his arms and she was in them, her hands clutching at his coat, her face buried against his chest. She wasn't crying, but the emotion poured out just as powerfully. He held her tight, whispered soothing endearments into her hair, patted her back. Finally, she drew back and looked up at him, her brows coming down in a frown.

Uh oh.

"Matthew Dillon, what on earth are you doing here?" she scolded, hands bracing on her hips.

A bit off balance, he asked, only half in jest, "Aren't you glad to see me?"

Now the frown lightened and she moved one hand to lay it on his arm. "I didn't say that, Cowboy. I just wondered why you came."

Well, he had thought that was fairly obvious, but he humored her, knowing it was in his best interest to do so. "I was just passing by on my way to Saint Louis," he teased, noting that she didn't fall for it at all.

"Yeah. Well, as long as you're here – "

"Kitty," he interrupted softly, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Are you all right?"

With a sad smile, she nodded. "Yeah. It was – a goodbye. I needed to have it. And so did he."

"I'm sorry he's dead."

"Yeah." Then she turned her face up to his. "Let's walk."

As she took his arm and guided him onto the newly-laid sidewalk, he placed his hat back on his head and kept silent, letting her pace the discussion. After several minutes of companionable quiet, she said, "I'm glad you're here."

"Me, too."

"How long will you stay?"

"Depends on your plans. Are you going to stay here a while or do you want to go back to Dodge?" Either way, his plans were to stick by her. "I can go by the train station for tickets – "

"Taken care of. He had already gotten stage tickets – two of them."

"Two?"

"One for me and one for him, when he thought he'd be – " She shrugged. "Anyway, we might as well not let them go to waste."

It would be a longer trip, he knew, but maybe just a good excuse to spend more time with her before the duties of his office encroached again on them. "All right. When do we leave?"

"I've exchanged them for the early stage tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? I guess that means we'll have to find some way to pass the time tonight," he noted with the smile that he reserved for her alone.

Her eyes regarded him thoughtfully, and she sidled closer, sliding her arm around his waist. "Guess it does," she returned in that husky voice that promised – and delivered – so much.

XXXX

Later, they lay in the hotel bed, her hair fanned out across his damp chest, his fingers trailing absently up and down her back, their breathing still heavy from the intensity of their passion. As he sank into the deep rest his body sought after such powerful physical and emotional release, Matt smiled in anticipation of their journey home.

With Kitty by his side, he knew it would be memorable.