Chester took a long sip from his coffee mug and smiled. "This here's a perfect pot, Mr. Dillon."

Dillon looked into the cup of mud on his desk, and swallowed the comment on the tip of his tongue. All he said was, "Uh-huh..."

Chester looked out the window of the jail, as he had done several times in the past half hour, scanning Front Street. Dillon set the Wanted posters he was looking at aside for a moment, and observed his assistant.

"Uh...Chester?"

Turning quickly as though caught with his hand in the money pot, Chester stared at the marshal innocently. "Yes, Mr. Dillon?"

"What are you waiting for?"

"Mr. Dillon?"

"You keep looking out the window like you're waitin' for something..."

Chester grinned sheepishly. "Well I...well...well gosh Mr. Dillon, we ain't seen Doc for morning coffee in I don't know how long."

Matt smiled at Goode. "I know how you feel, Chester, but it hasn't really been that long. And I think Doc's had his hands full."

"Oh I know he has, Mr. Dillon, it just seems a shame that we ain't seen him for coffee." Chester smiled again. "And you know how Doc loves a free cup of coffee..."

The door opened to the office, and both men looked up expectantly, hoping the town doctor was making an appearance; but instead, Dell and Mary Stevenson walked in. Dillon stood, noting the slight swelling of the left side of Mary's face that she was unsuccessfully trying to hide behind her bonnet.

"Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson, this is...a surprise."

Mary smiled. "Good morning, Marshal, Chest--"

"--We ain't here to make pleasantries," Dell interrupted, "We're here to get our daughter."

Dillon's stomach dropped to his knees, but his voice remained even. "I've told you before, Stevenson, it's up to Doc to say when Cassie's fit enough to be out of his constant care..."

"And I think you're a liar, Marshal."

Dillon moved out from behind his desk, and stood towering over Dell. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. He's had her a week, how long does it take a young girl ta git over some bruises?"

Matt put his fists on his hips, glaring at the man. "It was a lot more than just bruises, and you know it."

The man's eyes drifted away from the searing glare of Matt Dillon. "It still don't take this long for a young girl to git her strength back. Her Ma and me want her home. Now you cain't keep her away from them's that's got claim ta her, Marshal, you knowed you cain't."

Matt's voice was low and gritty, "I told you that it's up to Doc, and that's that. He says she isn't ready, and that's the way it is." He turned to Mary. "If you'd like to go say hello to her, Mrs. Stevenson, I'm sure Cassie would be happy to see you."

Dell looked at Dillon. "I'm goin' with her."

"No you're not, Stevenson. We've already been through this."

"You cain't keep me from my own daughter, Dillon. I may not be school-knowin', but I knowed that much."

"That may be so, but she's at Doc's, and he has the say in who can be in that office. And he said he doesn't want you there."

"Then you git that girl over here. I wanna see her."

When Matt hesitated too long, Chester's worried voice nipped at him, "Mr. Dillon?"

Matt wanted to tear Dell Stevenson apart with his bare hands, but instead he turned softly to Chester. "Offer them some coffee, Chester, I'm going up to Doc's. I'll be back with Cassie in a few minutes."

Matt put his hat on, and opened the door. Chester's voice made him turn back.

"Doc's not gonna be too obligin', Mr. Dillon."

Dillon just looked at Chester; the man had a gift for understatement like no other. Matt shook his head and closed the door on his way out. Chester smiled uneasily at the Stevensons.

"Uh...would either of you care for a cup of coffee? I just made a pot pert near fifteen minutes ago...It hasn't really boiled long enough yet, but it's stoutness'll speak for itself I reckon..."

Matt quietly opened the door to Doc's office to find Adams sitting in his desk chair reading, and Cassie conscientiously taking inventory of the medicines in the cabinet. Doc looked up at the marshal, and smiled.

"Mornin' Matt. Wanna a cup of coffee?"

"No thanks, Doc."

Cassie turned to the large man. "Good morning Marshal Dillon!"

"Mornin' Cassie. Doc's put you to work I see..."

"Yes, he has! Are you sure you don't want some coffee? Doc taught me how to make it!"

"He did, did he?"

"Yes. And he says it's pretty good for my first pot!"

The girl turned back to her work, and Doc winked at Matt.

"I decided she might as well earn her keep, ya know..."

Matt looked down, feeling a sudden burning in his belly. "Uh, yeah... Doc, I need to talk to you for a minute." He glanced over at the young girl. "Alone..."

"Sure Matt, sure..." The old man stood, pulling his glasses from his face, "Cassie honey, can you take that tray you're workin' on into your room for a few minutes? The marshal and I need to speak privately."

She grinned. "Man talk, huh?"

Doc smiled at the young girl. "You bet!"

Cassie picked up the tray of bottles and carried it into the back room, closing the door behind her. Doc folded his glasses into their case and slid it into his vest pocket. He took a good look at Matt, and concern colored his timbre.

"Everything okay, Matt?"

Dillon moved further into the room, shaking his head. "No Doc, it's not."

"Well what is it fer cryin' out loud?"

"There's just no easy way to tell you this... Doc, Dell and Mary Stevenson are over in my office right now, and they want to see Cassie."

"Mary's welcome here anytime..."

"No Doc, Dell wants to see Cassie over at my office."

The old man's voice lashed out in anger, "Well he can't! She isn't...I'm not... She's just not well enough to do that, and I'm sayin' that as her doctor."

"Doc...you've had her here for a week, Dell's not buyin' it."

"I don't care what he's buyin'! She's not goin' over there."

"Doc, we don't have any choice. They are her legal guardians, and they have a right--"

"--No. Absolutely not. I won't have it! I promised her she didn't have to see that man, Matt, and I ain't breakin' that, not for you, not for anyone!"

"Doc, I don't like this any more than you do, but the law's the law, and we don't have any choice." All the color drained from Adams' face, and Matt put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Doc, I really am. Look, it's just a visit. I told Stevenson that she wasn't well enough to go home, and that you were the one who would have the final word on that."

Adams swallowed hard, and sat heavily into his desk chair, his voice filled with defeat. "But we both know that's only going to last so long, and I doubt I can get through a court battle before Dell Stevenson will find a way to abuse her again." Doc's wet pale eyes looked up into Dillon's face. "Oh Matt, we can't just let this happen. We can't just let him destroy her."

Matt's large hand gently squeezed the back of Doc's neck. "I'll do everything within the law to help you, Doc, you know that."

The old doctor's voice was soft with sorrow. "That may not be enough..."

"Yeah... I'm going to take Cassie over there now, and get this over with."

"I'll go with you."

As Doc started to stand, Dillon's hand restrained him. "I'm afraid not, Doc."

"What?"

"I think it'd be better if you're not there."

"You can't be serious..."

"Yeah Doc, I am."

"Matt, it's gonna be hard enough on the poor little thing... don't you think that--"

"--Doc." He looked deeply into Adams' eyes. "I'll take care of her, don't worry. Dell Stevenson is already conscious of the fact that you're keeping Cassie from him; if you go over there, it's only going to add fuel to the fire." He pat the man's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm not going to leave them alone. Not for a minute."

Dillon knocked on the bedroom door, and Cassie appeared, smiling.

"Cassie, I need you to come with me for a few minutes."

"Sure Marshal, where're we goin'?"

"Over to my office. Your folks want to see you."

The smile fell from the girl's face, and she turned to Doc, who sat stunned, in his desk chair. "Doc? Doc, you promised I didn't have to see that man! Doc!"

Adams could barely look her in the eye. "I'm sorry, honey." He glared at Dillon, "He has a legal right, apparently..."

Panic began to set into Cassie's eyes. "No! No, I won't go!"

She started to bolt from the room, but Dillon took her arms. "Calm down, Cassie, nothing's going to happen. Chester and I will be there, and so will your mother. It'll be all right."

"No!" She broke away from Dillon, and ran to Adams, throwing her arms tightly around his neck. "Doc, please don't make me go! You promised!"

Adams looked at the floor, his stomach burning with blame. "I'm sorry, Cassie." His eyes filled with distress as the young girl sobbed into him, and he finally wrapped his unworthy arms around her, patting her back gently to calm her. "Shhh...don't cry, sweetheart, please don't cry."

After a few minutes, Dillon looked at Adams. "I'm sorry, Doc, but I've got to take her now."

Cassie gripped Doc harder, and he spoke softly into her ear. "It's going to be all right, honey. Matt won't let anything happen to you. He won't."

Dillon gently pulled the girl from Doc, and wrapped her coat around her. When she realized Doc was still sitting there, panic once more struck her.

"Doc? Aren't you coming?"

He sadly shook his head. "No honey." He swallowed hard, for he found it a distasteful lie. "It's better if I don't." She looked at him pleadingly, and he spoke once more, "Matt will take care of you. I promise, sweetheart."

Her eyes became furious as she shouted at him. "You can't make promises to me anymore!"

Cassie stormed out to the landing, wiping her tears on her sleeve. Matt glanced back at Doc, who sat dejectedly in his chair, unmoving. Dillon quietly shut the door, leaving Adams to shed the tears he'd been fighting off, alone.

Chester was perched on the edge of Dillon's desk, facing the window, his arms folded across himself, while Matt observed the Stevenson's interactions from his desk chair. Dell hadn't stopped talking to Cassie since they sat down, and Dillon didn't like the way Stevenson was looking at the girl. Mary Stevenson had said nary a word, and for the most part sat as still as a statue, looking down at the tabletop. Poor Cassie had appeared to be in some kind of shock since she first laid eyes on Dell Stevenson, for she hadn't said a word, nor did she seem able to move of her own will. Matt shivered: if Doc had been there, Dillon was certain Adams would have tried to rip Dell apart with his bare hands by now.

He glanced again at Cassie, and he began to worry about the pallor of her skin, and the glassy look of her eyes. A smile had started to spread on Dell Stevenson's lips, and it made Matt's stomach turn harshly; for Matt, it wouldn't be over soon enough. He glanced out the window for a moment, trying to regain his calm composure. His practiced eyes spotted Kitty leaving the Long Branch, heading toward Delmonico's; he pulled out his pocket watch then, and it was mid-morning, much later than her normal breakfast time. Dillon frowned, wondering if she had altered her normal routine in an effort to avoid bumping into Adams. He shook his head, and hoped that she would be unable to maintain her angry façade for long; hers was an unreasonable fear from a man who loved her unconditionally. And yet Matt understood that he had to stay out of it. The bloodcurdling scream from the table, snapped his head in that direction as he stood, drawing his gun.

Dell had put his hand on Cassie's arm, and the girl was screaming as though he was stabbing her. Chester almost fell off the desk, and he nervously limped toward the table. Dillon holstered his gun, and followed suit.

"Now Cassie, hush now, girl, it ain't nothin'..." He looked up at Dillon. "What's wrong with this girl? Why's she screamin' like that? I just went ta pat her on the arm is all, tellin' her we wuz gonna be together agin real soon..."

Dillon's tone didn't hide his sarcasm. "And you're wonderin' why she's screamin'?"

Matt gently held Cassie by the arms, but it didn't' calm her at all. "Cassie, calm down, it's Marshal Dillon. You're safe, nothing's going to happen here..."

He calmly pulled the girl away from the table, and momentarily she stopped screaming. But as Matt looked into her pale face, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and her entire body began to shake. Dillon picked her up, and handed her to Goode.

"Chester, get her up to Doc's, and hurry."

"Sure thing, Mr. Dillon."

Chester carried the girl out of the office, and Dillon turned to face the Stevensons, noting that Mary had barely reacted during her daughter's outburst, but he saw fear in the woman's eyes; whether it was fear for her daughter or herself, he couldn't' tell.

"Well Stevenson, I think now you have a better picture why Doc says she's not well yet."

"What have you people been doin' to that girl? You've warried her somethin' awful; she's as skittery as a spooked horse."

Dillon turned to Mary. "Mrs. Stevenson...you haven't said a word."

She looked fearfully toward her husband, then back at Dillon. "Dell wants Cassie home..."

His brow furrowed at the statement. "And what about you? Don't you care what happens to your daughter?"

Mary Stevenson looked as though she had been slapped. Staring intently into Dillon's eyes, knowing she would pay for it, she said flatly, "Cassie'd be better off dead than in Dell's house."

And silently, Mrs. Stevenson walked out of the Marshal's Office, leaving the door wide open in her wake. After a stunned moment, Dell recovered and chased after her.

"Mary! Mary, you git back here, woman! Mary!"