AN: Thank you readers for sticking with my convoluted story. A special thanks to those who took the time to PM me or leave a comment, thought, plot prediction or word of encouragement. GS fans are the best. For better or worse, you have me wanting to write another story! On with the finale!

Eyes wide and mouth open, Kitty looked around and asked again, "What happened to m-m-my saloon?"

Doc, Festus and Sam started jabbering at once, gesturing, pointing, racing around the room and in general making no sense. Matt was about to step in and take command, when a young messenger from the post office slipped and whispered, "Marshal, this came for you. It's marked IMPORTANT, so I figured you should get it right away." The young man put a large envelope in Matt's hands and quickly slipped away. Matt stared down at his hands and his heart sank. An envelope of this size, marked important, usually meant he had to leave town for a time, and right now he wanted to be here for Kitty.

The three men were still talking at once, Kitty put her hands up and took control. "ONE AT A TIME. Doc, you first."

"Um Kitty, we - um - well we - as you know we thought you were - well - dead ..."

Sam stepped forward, "Doc, this was mostly my doing so I'll take responsibility." He took a deep breath, "Miss Kitty, I thought you were dead and would want things done right in your name. I sold off most everything to close the Long Branch in an honorable way. I paid off all your bills, and gave 6 weeks of wages to everyone who worked for you. Then I - we - found out that you were alive and we tried to go about rebuilding the place as best we could. Your workers gave back what they could, but most was spent. The local saloon owners helped as much as they could. Thing is, there was no money left to buy back even a fraction of what we sold, – anyway - this was the best we could do." Sam sadly shook his head. "Miss Kitty, I know for you, it will be like starting over. Anything I can do - work extra shifts for free - anything, I just wish..." Sam's voice broke, he head hung down. Kitty bit her lower lip to keep from crying – crying for Sam, for herself, for the situation she was in. She couldn't blame Sam or Doc or anyone, but she felt like she'd been punched in the gut. Years of scrimping, saving, doing without, working extra shifts, pushing ahead day after day, year after year, was finally paying off. She was getting to where she wanted to be. Now it was gone – all gone. She'd have to start over, and she didn't think she had it in her. She brushed aside the tear that dared trickle down her face and lifted her chin. "Sam, it's not your fault. You did the honorable thing – and you did it for me. T-t-t-thank y-you." Her face crumbled. She'd lost the battle to maintain control. She shook her head. "I just don't know how I can - how I can start again, I..." The tears flowed freely now. Doc put a hand on her shoulder, "Well, one good thing is, nothing upstairs in your rooms has been touched." Festus and Sam nodded eagerly. Kitty tried to smile, touched by their attempt at good news, but she couldn't stop the torrent of tears, or hide the sadness and distress behind them.

"Hold on now." Out of nowhere Matt tossed 2 wads of cash on the shaky bar. "That should go a ways to fixing this. I can't help but notice they're all big bills in those packs."

Eyes widened in shock. Matt held up a letter. The writing was feminine and clear. "Let me read this to you."

Dear Marshal Dillon,

I pray this letter reaches you. After your visit to our farm, I couldn't stop thinking about you and Kitty. I was haunted by your words - "Kitty should be given the choice." I knew you were right, and that I'd fooled myself into thinking that what I'd done was not only good for my family, it was good for Kitty. The thing is, life is full of hard and strange choices, and if I had to do it over, there's a real strong chance I'd do the same thing. Marshal, my 3 boys were going hungry, my youngest was going blind and my husband, who I love, was sinking into despair. Mr. Sharpe's money saved us from hunger, gave us hope and restored sight to a little boy. That said, I realize the harm the choice I made caused to Kitty and to you. Mr. Sharpe paid us a lot of money, more money than I've even dreamt of seeing. So now that Petey's had his operation, we have food and a way to turn the farm around, I'm sending the rest to you. We didn't make this choice to get rich and lead an easy life. All we wanted was a new beginning, and a way to help ourselves. We have that and we'll work hard, like we always have. Please use this money to find Kitty and give her the choice she deserves. Joshua Sharpe had a big head start, so you'll likely have to go to New York City and then sail to London. You'll need money for travel and living expenses in strange cities, while you search. I wish you the best of luck, and when you find Kitty (yes, I said when not if) please tell her that I meant no harm. I was desperate enough to convince myself that what was good for me, was good for her. I hope she will understand. More than anything, I hope she'll never be faced with a choice like that herself.

Good Luck to you Marshal Dillon,

Peggy Kramer

Kitty stared at the money, Matt stared at Kitty. Doc and Festus stared at each other. Sam stared upwards as if giving thanks.

"Well." Kitty broke the silence "Let's not just stand around. Seems to me there's a lot of work to be done for the grand re-opining of the Long Branch Saloon. It will take place take place one week from today.

One Week Later

Sam Noonan pushed open the batwing doors and ushered out three red-faced men, arms wrapped around each other's backs. "Out you go fellas. Time to close, we don't want Marshal Dillon coming down on us." The last three customers at the Long Branch re-opening, tottered out the door, and staggered down the street. Kitty shook her head, "It's been a busy day, Sam, and a good one. Even the other saloon owners showed up for our re-opening."

"Miss Kitty, everyone missed you when you were gone. And now the Long Branch is better than ever."

She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Let's just hope the floors don't get shot up any time soon."

"Oh Miss Kitty don't worry, there's money left and business will…." She saw Sam's genuine concern and put a hand on his arm. "Sam, I'm kidding. Remember – we sometimes share a joke, you and me."

Sam let out a long breath, "I'm glad things are getting back to normal, but I still feel guilty, so, please let me clean up and close."

"All right. Don't stay too late. See you tomorrow." Kitty eagerly hurried up the stairs. Matt would have finished late rounds by now, and had probably gone up the back way and let himself in. She opened her door and found him pouring two glasses of whiskey, the good stuff." He turned when he heard the door and handed her a glass. "This is the stuff you break out on New Year's Eve. This is a new beginning so it seemed right." The clinked glasses and savored the taste. She sat on the settee and kicked off her shoes. He settled in beside her, "Long day, hmm." "Yep, been a week of long days, but good ones. I realized tonight that I've barely had time to think about – well - what happened and Peggy and all."

"I should have mentioned this sooner, but I wrote Peggy a letter to let her know that I found you, and I explained how the money was being used."

Kitty nodded curtly, "That was the right thing to do."

"You know, Kitty, Peggy and Owen did commit a crime of aiding and abetting a kidnapping, but unless you think different. I'd rather not charge them."

"I agree."

Matt sighed. Brevity was typically not her way. "Kitty, do you think you'll ever contact Peggy again – talk to her – see her?"

"No – she's my oldest friend but after this – no – well, probably not." She looked up at Matt. "If you had been Peggy or Owen, would you have done what they did? I mean – they were going hungry, Petey was going blind. What would you have done, Matt?"

"Well – I like to think I would have come up with another solution, instead of fooling myself into believing I was helping a friend by drugging her to be taken by a man." Matt took another sip of whiskey

"Maybe you're not the best person to ask, Matt. You've always faced the truth no matter what. Not everyone is like that."

"I'll tell you Kitty, when everyone believed you were dead, and I didn't, folks said I was just believing what I wanted to." She slowly nodded, he sensed her unease and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "What's wrong Kitty? Do you think there's a part of you, deep inside, that may have done what Peggy did if you were as desperate as she was."

"She was facing terrible choices, Matt."

"Yep, she was. I reckon she and Owen were so scared and worried that they let themselves believe what was easiest at the time."

"And, they didn't know what a monster Joshua Sharpe was. Maybe I should have explained about him after he knocked on their door. I just saw no need." Kitty sighed. "In the end Peggy wanted to use the money, to fix the harm she'd done. I'm glad for that. She and Owen could have used it to have an easier life. Matt, I just wish that when times started getting hard for them, they'd come to me. I couldn't give them money like Josh did, but I would have tried to help, and who knows. maybe things wouldn't have gotten so desperate. I'd like Peggy to understand that – for the future."

"Sounds like you're gonna write to her."

Kitty laughed, "It does sound like that. And I do want to send Petey some books" She rested her head on Matt's shoulder, "If I get to the point of going to visit Peggy and Owen again, I want you with me."

"Kitty, I'm not sure Owen will ever be ready for that. You should have seen the look on his face when I started digging up that grave."

She turned her face and looked up into his clear, blue eyes. "Matt, I didn't say this before, but thank you."

"No need." He lifted her chin and tenderly pressed his lips to hers. The sweetness of his touch made her spine tingle from top to bottom, and back again. With a contended sigh she snuggled closer. "Matt, you told me about getting dragged across Elk River, and I told you all about Josh, but I don't think I mentioned the way I got that sign to Wichita turned around."

"Wait." He looked down at her with an amused grin. "You're the one who got that sign pointed the wrong way. The one that said – Witicha 3 miles."

She nodded happily, "Yep."

Matt wrapped both arms around her and pulled her even closer. "Tell me."

"Well, I ….."

The End