Matt heard the pounding of someone trying to sprint in the snow, before he saw Judge Dalton running like a madman toward them. He was yelling, but Dillon couldn't make out what he was saying. Then he felt the gear of the hangman's lever shifting into motion, and his head snapped back toward the gallows platform, and he landed a final look into the steely blue eyes that had been a part of his life for so long. But Dalton was yelling frantically, and Dillon turned once more toward him. The judge was waving a paper over his head, and screaming.

Then Matt heard the words. "Stop! I have a stay of execution! Stop!"

Taber started for the platform, but Dillon knew it was too late for that, the lever had been thrown, and Doc was swinging by his neck from the rope. Matt drew his gun as he had so many times before when lives were on the line, only this time, it was a life that meant more to Dillon than his own. He aimed for the upper part of the rope, and pulling the hammer back manually with his left hand, fired rapidly until the rope frayed and Doc Adams dropped through the trap door to the ground. As Matt ran toward the platform, the hangman jumped down into the pit as did Taber. Dalton followed Dillon a moment later, into the belly of giant wooden crossbeams underneath the gallows. Matt shoved all of them clear, and pulled the noose from Doc's neck. He looked into Adams' ashen face, and his stomach pulled tight with fear.

"Doc?"

But Adams wasn't breathing. Dillon ripped open the shirt collar from his neck, where swelling from the rope had begun, and he gently rubbed the old man's chest.

"Doc? Come on, Doc! Don't you dare give up now... Doc!"

Dalton pat the marshall's arm. "I'm sorry Matt, we were too late."

"No!" He shook Doc's body in an effort to rouse him. "Please, Doc...not like this. Not this way."

And from somewhere within the depths of blackness, Adams heard him, for Doc coughed and sputtered, and finally drew a breath. He wasn't sure if he was alive or dead, only that his throat felt raw and he imagined that Matt Dillon was holding him. He clutched the front of Dillon's shirt with his hand, his voice barely a gravely whisper.

"Matt...take me home."

Dillon couldn't muster an answer, because his own throat was closed down with emotion, and a moment later his tear-filled eyes overflowed onto his cheeks. He took off his coat and wrapped Doc in it, lifted him into his arms, and wordlessly started to walk away.

Taber yelled after the marshall, "Matt...where are you going?"

Dillon turned, his voice reflecting the anger he felt. "Home, Tom. I'm takin' him home on the 10:30 stage. I'll send someone for the horses later."

"The stage run might stop due to the snow..."

"Then I'll take him on my horse, but either way, he's not spending another night here."

Taber picked up Doc's coat, gloves and hat, and ran to catch up with Dillon.

"Here Matt, you might need these."

Silently, Dillon took them, as he stood in the falling snow, cradling Doc in his arms, waiting for the stage.

Taber gently touched Dillon's arm. "He looks like he needs some medical attention..."

The marshall's voice was pure steel, "I'm takin' him home."

"But Matt--"

"--Tom, do you even realize what today is?"

"Today?"

"Yes, today."

Taber thought a moment, then looked at Dillon. "I plumb forgot Christmas Eve. It's Christmas Eve."

"Yes it is. And I'm gonna have him home in time for Christmas."

"Lemme at least get you some blankets from the office."

When he realized that Taber wasn't going to try and stop him, Dillon relaxed slightly. "That'd be fine, Tom."

As Taber ran off to fetch a few things he thought they might need, Dalton caught up with the marshall.

"You know the court isn't really through with him yet. We need to officially run the appeal, and record the new testimony: the stay of execution was only the first step."

Dillon nodded. "Ruth Bradley told you the truth."

"Yes."

"But why?"

"She said she couldn't live with his death on her conscience, but I think a lot of it had to do with the way he stood up for her in court, and what he said in his own defense. It got to her."

Dillon nodded. "How he said it told more about the man than anything else could have."

"I could order you to keep him here for a few days, until we've had a chance to set this right..."

Dillon shook his head. "You can order anything you want, Judge, but his family'll be mighty glad to see him, and I'm gonna make sure they do. It's the best Christmas present I can think of to give them."

"I thought he had no family."

Matt stared hard into Dalton's dark eyes. "He does in Dodge. And we love him a lot."

Dalton smiled. "Then I'll meet you in Dodge a few days after Christmas, and we'll put it to bed then."

"I'd appreciate it, Judge Dalton."

The judge nodded and slowly walked back to the Sheriff's Office, a slight grin touching his lips.

Matt carefully lifted Doc into the stagecoach, and then stepped in himself, sitting down next to his old friend. Tom Taber handed Dillon a few blankets, some food and water. He extended his hand.

"I'm glad it turned out this way, Matt."

Dillon shook the offered hand tightly. "So am I, Tom. Thanks for everything."

As the stagecoach pulled away, Dillon covered Adams with a couple of blankets, and checked the wounds on his neck. Doc had red welts all around his throat, and swelling where the rope had burned into his skin. Matt swallowed hard: it had been so close. Another minute. Just another minute, and he would have been gone. Doc moaned, and Matt gently leaned Adams into himself for support.

"Easy Doc, you're okay. We're on our way home."

"Matt?"

"Yeah. Don't try to talk, Doc, your throat's gotta hurt..."

"Feels like hell..."

"Then hush, will ya?"

His voice was barely a whisper, "Did you say we're goin' home?"

"Yeah. We'll be home in time for Christmas."

"Christmas?"

"Yeah, it's tomorrow. Guess we all kinda forgot about it..."

The old man's eyes flooded, and he tried to blink the moisture away. Concerned, Dillon put a hand on his forehead.

"Doc? What is it?"

"I didn't think I'd ever see another Christmas with all of you."

"Rest easy, Doc. Just close your eyes, and I'll have you home before you know it."

As Doc Adams floated off to sleep, Matt Dillon sent a silent prayer of thanks to the Almighty above, for he was certain that a string of carefully orchestrated miracles was the only reason Doc Adams was still breathing. And that fact served to renew the marshall's faith in justice itself.

It was just before daybreak when the stage rolled through the snow drifts of Dodge City. Front street was empty, and the sky a still, twilight blanket covering the earth. Dillon stepped out of the stage and took Doc's hands, carefully helping the old man down the steps and onto the soft powder overlaying the street. The air was cold, with snowflakes lazily drifting to the ground, and Dodge had the fresh smell of dawn approaching.

"You sure you wanna walk this, Doc?"

The old man nodded, a strange smile curving his lips. "Yeah, Matt, I'm sure."

Dillon pulled Doc's coat up higher around him, and the brim of his hat down a little lower, causing Adams to glare up at him. "Don't give me that look. You've been through a lot, and I probably shouldn't even let you walk out in this cold."

Adams swatted the marshall away, shoved his hands in his pockets, and started up the street toward the Longbranch. Dillon fell into step with him, a companionable silence between them. After a few minutes, Doc's scratchy voice interrupted the quiet.

"Think they'll be some coffee at the Longbranch?"

Dillon stopped walking and stared unbelievingly at the old doctor. "The Longbranch? Doc, you need to get up to your office and get into bed."

"Hah! No public servant's gonna prescribe to me; I need some coffee and some food. I can't remember the last time I had anything to eat."

Doc started walking again, and Dillon followed him. "If you're headed to the Longbranch, at least don't insult my intelligence by tellin' me it's for coffee and food!"

Adams glared at the younger man, and then his sour expression dissolved into an puckish smile. "All right, so it's for the whiskey. Whaddya think of that, Mr. Marshall?"

Dillon laughed. "I think you're still lyin' ya ol' turkey buzzard, but since it's Christmas mornin' I'm gonna give you your way."

"Yeah well, Merry Christmas to you too, ya smart-aleck!"

They reached the doors of the Longbranch just as Sam was opening them up. Noonan stared at the two men approaching and couldn't believe his eyes. He ran over to Doc, grabbing the man's shoulders.

"Doc! Doc, I can't even tell ya..." Sam's eyes watered and all he could do was pat Doc on the back.

Adams shook the bartender's hand. "Sam, it's good to see you." He looked at the tall man, a twinkle in his tired blue eyes. "Any coffee on?"

"You bet there is, Doc. Miss Kitty's gonna be over the moon when she sees you; I ain't never seen her so low as when Festus brought her back from Hays."

The three men walked into the saloon, and Doc felt his eyes sting as he looked around the familiar room. When he didn't move for a long moment, Dillon pat his shoulder.

"You okay, Doc?"

The old man shook his head slightly. "Just didn't ever think I'd stand here again."

Matt squeezed the shoulder under his hand. "Tell you what, I'll go get Kitty, and--"

"--No, no, Matt. I'd like to wake her if you don't mind."

"Today's your lucky day, doctor, because I'm probably gonna let you do anything you damned well please."

Doc smiled coyly. "I should come back from the dead everyday..."

"I'll thank you to keep your neck out of any more nooses. I don't think I could take it."

Doc chuckled as he headed up the stairs. He stood in front of her door, as nervous as the day he got married, and he stared down at the ring that was still on his left hand. While he could well imagine the anguish he put her through, he didn't know how to make it up to her. He removed the hat from his head and knocked softly on her door.

Kitty thought she heard a knock, but instead of answering, she rolled over, fresh tears soaking her pillowcase. When the knock became a little more insistent she felt anger flush her face.

"Sam, leave me alone. Please."

"Well, if you don't want yer Christmas present from that marshall you call yer sweetheart, I guess I'll have to go back to Hays City..."

Although something didn't seem quite right with his voice, Kitty's heart pounded upon hearing it. As truth dawned on her, she mouthed the one word she could no longer bear to say, "Doc." After another moment, she bounded from her bed, rushed the door and yanked it open. And there he stood. Tears flooded her eyes, and for the longest moment, they stared at each other.

"Don't I at least get a hug?"

Kitty threw her arms around him, pulling him closer than anyone else would ever dare. Her body shuddered with all the emotion that had been locked inside her heart since she and Festus had left Hays. Doc wrapped his arms around her waist, and softly rubbed her back.

"Here now, I think we've had enough tears to last a lifetime..."

But Kitty couldn't stop. She closed her arms even tighter around his shoulders, running her fingers through the overgrown curls on the back of his head.

His voice sounded stressed from the swelling, but soft, "Still need a haircut, don't I?"

Even as he gently pushed away from her to look into her face, Kitty didn't trust herself to speak. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs, and smiled gently at her.

"You gonna say anything to me, or have you forgotten who I am already?"

Her shaky voice sounded through her tears, "How...?"

He reached up and took one of her hands in his, and guided her to sit down on the bed. He sat next to her, softly caressing the top of her hand with his thumb.

"I won't lie to ya, it was pretty close. I had already started to swing, but Judge Dalton managed a stay of execution from the Governor, and Matt got to me just in time."

She gingerly reached to unbutton his coat. "Is that why you're so raspy?"

"'Fraid so."

Kitty inspected the damage and frowned. "Oh Doc, we need to clean this up; I'll bet that hurts like hell."

He smiled sweetly at her, his eyes twinkling. "Now that I'm sittin' here with you, Kitty, all I feel is the comfort of home. Which reminds me," he pulled the ring off his hand, giving it to her. "I want you to take this, and when that slow-thinkin' marshall comes to his senses, and you two get married and have kids, you give it to your first-born boy when he takes a wife. Merry Christmas, honey." He winked at her. "This is the same boy who will be named after me, ya know..."

Kitty's eyes flooded, and she reached her arms around him, drawing him close. Doc let her hold him until she pulled away, ruffling the unruly curls on top of his head with her hand. "Merry Christmas, handsome."

He kissed her softly, and took her hand, pulling her toward the door. "Come on, Sam's got the coffee on, and I'm starved..."

"Don't you men ever think of anything but food?"

He stopped for a second, pretending to think about it, then smiled and said, "Nope."

Matt looked up to see Kitty and Doc walking down the staircase. She smiled down at him.

"This is one helluva Christmas present you brought me, cowboy."

Dillon grinned. "Yeah, I'll expect something in return, but we can discuss that later..."

Doc chuckled when he saw Kitty blushing. Adams stopped on the landing as a familiar sound reached his ears.

"Hey...do ya hear that?" They all listened, and could hear the jangling approaching. He smiled. "That's either Santa Claus or--"

And just then the batwing doors to the Longbranch pushed open, and Festus walked in, staring at a sight that stung his eyes with joy. After a moment's hesitation, Haggen ran to Doc, throwing his arms around the old man, who tried to swat him away.

"Oh Doc... glory be, Doc...you're such a looksome sight! I didn't thank I was never gonna see ya again..."

Adams swatted at Haggen as the deputy held him tightly. "Get...oh, get your mangy hands off of me! What's the matter with you, anyway?" Doc finally wriggled out of Haggen's grip, and he swatted him once more for good measure. "Ya tryin' to squeeze me ta death or somethin'? What in tarnation's wrong with you?"

The tears shining in Haggen's eyes were enough to shut Doc up, as the deputy softly spoke. "This here's the bestest Christmas I ever seen."

Doc cuffed Haggen behind the neck affectionately. "How about some coffee, Festus?"

He smiled at the old man. "I wouldn't say no..."

An impish grin curled the doctor's lips. "Of course you wouldn't...it's free!"

For the first time in days, raucous laghter filled the Longbranch, and the joy of the season filled their hearts. The snow continued to fall gently outside, but they didn't notice. It was Christmas, and they were together. All was once again right with the world.

The End.