This chapter was written with the immense help of Janglyspur—without her it wouldn't have been as mushy. Happy Valentine's Day. We hope you enjoy the mush—get out your waders and tissues. I'm gonna keep out my coveralls cause the snow is so deep around here!

Again I do not own these characters.

Kitty Russell looked down on the deserted Dodge City street from her second story window. She hoped to see the tall figure of Matt Dillon either walking or riding down that deserted street and had been expecting him all day. Matt had left for Wichita four days prior with the promise of a speedy return. Kitty had watched him ride away on Buck four days ago, he was going to ride to one of the connecting stage lines rather than take the stage from that point on. He was supposed to return today but as Kitty watched the wind swirl the dust and light snow in the street she kept telling herself that it was Kansas, in the winter time, the wind, the cold or any number of other things could have slowed down the stage or Matt himself.

Matt Dillon was cold, so cold that he wasn't sure that he could move. His fingers felt like logs inside his thick leather gloves and he was sure his ears and cheeks were an unimpressive shade of red. He knew that he was close to Dodge though; then if he was lucky, Kitty would be waiting for him, with a nice warm bed and nice warm arms to go along with that bed. He smiled slightly, his lips so cold that they too felt stiff, at the thought of Kitty and he suddenly didn't seem
quite as frozen as before. Matt knew that Kitty and her love would be enough to thaw him out after his cold February ride.

It seemed that the ride from the Fullton Station had been longer than it normally was and Matt wasn't sure if it was the cold or his excitement to present Kitty with the gifts that he had bought for her in Wichita. That thought alone pressed Matt to set his spurs to Bucks sides and push him into a lope.

The big buckskin ate up the miles and Matt smiled when he saw the faint lights of Dodge. The big horse seemed to sense it too and picked up his pace on his own, before Matt knew it, they had reached the outskirts of town and he pulled up. He looked at the town that had become his home and hoped with everything in his heart that Kitty was still awake, waiting...just like she always did.

Kitty was sitting by the window, a shawl wrapped around her shoulders to ward off the chill that the wind pushed through the pane. She was drowsy and just starting to doze off when she saw him, in the faint light of the few street lamps that remained lit, she saw him. The few street lamps that remained lit cast enough light for her to see him riding down the street with his thick winter coat pulled up high around his neck and ears to shield them from the frosty air. Just the sight of him, even at a distance, was enough to set her heart to fluttering. She could barely contain her excitement and knew that she would have to wait for him for at least a few more minutes. Kitty knew that his first destination would be the stables, to put up Buck and feed him and water him. Then he would most likely go to the jail and then if things were ok there he would come to her and she would be waiting. She got up, leaving the lamp in the window as she always did, and went to stir the fire before pouring the brandy she was sure that Matt would need to help take an edge of the chill she was sure he was feeling by now.

Matt rode through the semi-dark streets of Dodge, his destination the stable, as he passed the Longbranch he looked up as had been his habit for the past year and a half or more, to see if the light was there, to see if she was waiting for him. He smiled when he saw the soft glow from that second story window and urged Buck into a trot towards the stable. There he unsaddled Buck and carefully removed his saddlebags from his saddle. He had made it all the way from Wichita to Dodge without breaking his gift for Kitty and he'd be sorely disappointed in himself if he did it after he arrived in Dodge. He fed the horse and after patting him on the rump, walked out of the warmth of the stable. Once outside, Matt decided that things were quiet and that any matters that had come up at the jail could wait until morning. With a spring in his step, Matt made his way toward the back stairs of the Long branch.

Once there he let his excitement at seeing Kitty after a long four days take over and he climbed the stairs quickly, taking most of them two or three at a time. Stairs that took most folks several minutes to climb, Matt climbed in seconds. He quietly opened the door there and made his way to Kitty's room at the end of the hall.

Kitty had heard Matt's footfalls on the stairs, surprised that he hadn't went to the jail first but happy that he was going to be where he belonged soon. Kitty hadn't taken her hair down yet, waiting for Matt to do that, as she knew how much he enjoyed watching her go through her bedtime preparations. Sometimes she even let him help that was if he wasn't too tired or distracted by other things. She listened intently to his footsteps in the hall and then frowned, confused when she heard them stop.

When Matt reached Kitty's door he stopped and took a deep breath. He threw his saddlebags over his shoulder and reached into his inside vest pocket, searching for the key that would be found there. He was just about to put the key into the lock when the door flew open, surprising him and making him take a step back. "Hello Kitty." he greeted, seeing her standing there.

Kitty was sure that she had heard Matt's footsteps in the hall but was getting impatient to see the tall Marshall, so she had went to the door and pulled it open intending to see where he was at. Instead she practically ran into him, would have if he hadn't taken a step back. When Matt greeted her all Kitty could do was smile and grabbing him by the jacket lapels pulled him into the room. Once the door was shut no words were spoken as Kitty fell into Matt's arms and they shared the kiss of two people who knew it each intimately. When they came up for breath Kitty laid her head on his chest and sighed, "I missed you Cowboy."

Matt pulled back a little and leaving one arm looped around Kitty, he escorted her into her room pushing the door shut behind them with a booted foot before he removed his hat and hung it on the peg. "I missed you too, Kathleen." he said in a teasing tone.

Kitty laughed, a musical sound to Matt's ears, and kissed him again. "Your freezing Matt, come over here by the fire." She leads him to a chair that she already had arranged there for him. Then taking the one opposite him, she asked, "So did you have a good time?"

Matt leaned back and stretched his long legs out towards the fire, as well as his arms and hands after shrugging out of his heavy wool coat. "I guess as much fun as you can have while testifying at a murder trial."

They sat and talked for a few minutes and then Matt, looking at the clock, told Kitty that he needed to get some sleep. They went back into the other room and Kitty, taking a seat at her dressing table, began to remove the pins from her hair while Matt moved quietly about the room. Kitty took down her hair and removed her make-up and was about to change into a night gown when she saw that Matt still hadn't prepared for bed. "Aren't you coming to bed here?" she asked. She had gotten used to Matt spending his nights with her and hoped that while on his trip he hadn't decided that he needed to change that.

"Yes." Matt said. "I haven't seen you for four days" He put extra emphasis on the last words. Then giving her a shy little boy like smile, moved to where his saddlebags lay on the floor. Reaching inside he nervously said, "Kitty, I-I got you a little gift while I was away."

Kitty looked at him surprised; Matt didn't seem the type to give gifts, especially gifts for no reason. Then it dawned on her that it was the day before Valentine's Day, but still she said "You didn't have to do that Matt." she said.

"I wanted to Kitty. I saw this in the window and it just seemed to call to me." Matt said. Then looking down at the floor, like a boy trying to snatch his first kiss he said, "I hope you like it."

His next move surprised Kitty, in a burst of spontaneity that was unlike the usually reserved Matt, he grabbed Kitty's hand and pulled her towards the chair where he was seated. Once she was in his arms, Matt handed her the small package. Then he used the opportunity to wrap his arms around her and hold her close, while Kitty made short work of the plain brown paper wrapping that encased the gift.

Matt watched the brown paper fall to the floor and was alarmed at Kitty's lack exclamation. He began to speak, "Uh, Kitty, I know it's not as fancy as some of those things that you've brought from New Orleans but I thought it was pretty."

Kitty let out a small squeak of joy at first at what she found under that plain brown paper wrapping. Tears welled in her eyes, tears that Matt didn't see, due to her position on his lap, but they flowed even faster when she heard his simple explanation. "Oh Matt, this is ten times prettier than anything I brought with me from New Orleans, it's beautiful."

Matt smiled and leaning in to kiss her behind the ear and enjoy the lilac scent that was so Kitty he said, "Good. Now open it up and see what's inside."

Kitty, removing herself from Matt's arms so she could set the first gift on the dressing table gave Matt a confused look and said, "There's more? Why Matthew Dillon, your downright spoiling me!" She used a playful tone as she said this but rushed to open the lid of the first gift. What she found there made tears again well up in her eyes. She took out the small broach and held it in her slender hands taking in the detailing and beautiful blue color. "Oh Matt." Was all she could let escape from her lips.

Matt stood and moved to stand behind Kitty, his large frame towering over her smaller one. "Do you really like it Kit?" the true concern showing in his voice.

"I love it Matt and I love you." She said softly. She let the last slip out. She and Matt had been together for a year and a half but so far neither of them had made any proclamations to each other, yet. She stopped for a moment, worried he would run away screaming in terror but when he didn't she just laid the little broach back into the jewelry box and shut the lid. Then running her fingers over it lightly she turned back into her big marshals arms. "I didn't get you anything Matt."

"Uh?" Matt said in confusion. He led Kitty to sit next to him on the bed. He was tired and ready for bed so he sat and removed his worn boots.

"I didn't get you anything. Tomorrow's valentine's day."

"Oh." Matt said. "I might as well be honest; I didn't buy that as Valentine's gift. I bought it because I saw that box in the window of that store and well I wanted to bring you back something nice. I would've liked to take you with me but it just wasn't the right trip."

Kitty looked disappointed for a moment but then decided that she liked it much better that Matt thought of her without a holiday. "You thought of me Matt, that's all that matters to me."

Later that night Matt lay twined in Kitty's arms, both of them clearly sated by the sweet love making that had left them both now exhausted. Kitty run her hand through his thick, dark, curls and whispered, "What you thinking about cowboy?"

Matt shifted his body and leaning up on his elbow he looked into the face of the woman that he loved, the woman that he loved but had yet to tell. Sure he had told her with his actions hundreds of times but he had yet to say the words. He leaned in and kissed her before asking, "Did you mean what you said earlier?"

Confused, Kitty pushed herself up against the head board and looked at him, with worry in her eyes. "Mean what?"

Matt let his eyes drop down and suddenly seemed interested in a spot on the blanket then quietly said, "When you said you loved me?"

Kitty let out a sigh of relief and brought Matt's face up to look at her. "Yes, Matthew Dillon, I do. I love you."

Matt breathed a sigh of relief and for the first time in a long time, felt free enough to say the words he had wanted to for the past few months but hadn't had the courage to. "I love you too, Kathleen Russell."

Then he gathered Kitty in his arms and kissed her, their breaths were mingling and bare skin touching. When they pulled apart, Matt laughed, "I've been wanting to tell you that for a while Kit."

"Me too." Kitty said.

So I was only going to make this two chapter but have decided that it needs to be three since I haven't really disclosed what the gift is. However chapter 3 will not require tissues or hipwadders.