The Visitor 7

I don't own these characters; I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

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Kitty sat on the wagon seat next to Sara, reins in hand, as they headed home. Matt and Ben rode just ahead of them. Occasionally Sara would look mournfully over at Kitty or Matt and once or twice Ben, but she said nothing.

Kitty could only guess at the emotions running through the girl, and though she was grateful for what Sara had eventually done, she was still just mad enough about the whole situation, and heartsick at having to kill someone, even someone like Etta Stone, that she wasn't sure she should talk either.

Finally Sara looked sheepishly over at Kitty. "Miss Kitty," she said shyly. "I sure am beholding to you, and the Marshal, for being so nice to Ben and me. I'm not so sure I would feel too kindly towards us for what we done."

Kitty wearily shook her head and took a deep breath. "Sara, we know you and Ben didn't want to be a part of this. We know that it was Ben's ma that made you all do it. But I have to admit, I wish you would have helped us a lot quicker than you did."

Sara's face reddened and she looked down guiltily, swallowing hard. "I gotta confession to make." She said so softly, Kitty almost didn't hear her.

"What?" Kitty looked at her suspiciously.

"Ben told me what you promised to do for us, if we were to help you. And I wanted to, in the worst way. But I was still too scared. This morning, when I fixed the Marshal's tray, I wasn't gonna do anything. I didn't even have a gun to put on there."

Kitty was a little confused. "Then where did you get it?"

Sara's face reddened even more and she ducked her head again, considering her answer. "I don't know." She finally answered. "I turned around and it was…was just there."

Kitty's brow shot up into her hairline. "What do you mean, 'it was just there'? Guns don't just appear."

Sara looked over at her earnestly. "This one did. I swear, Miss Kitty; this one was just there on the end of the table. And I…I know you won't believe me, but… I…I heard a voice. A woman's voice, she… she told me to give Marshal Dillon the gun."

Sara expected Kitty to laugh at her, or call her crazy but she did neither of those. Instead Kitty sighed and nodded her head. "Well," she said, thinking of her son's 'Lady'. "Whoever she was, I'm glad you listened to her."

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The ride back to Dodge had been long and hard and by the time they had reached Dodge, all four weary people were glad to see the journey end.

Especially Kitty. The closer they got to Dodge, the edgier she became. It had been three days since she had seen her son, and she was anxious to have him back into her arms. Looking over at Matt, she saw the emotions playing across his face, though she doubted anyone else could see anything in his stern countenance.

Matt reined in, when they reached the jail. "Ben, Sara you go in here with me," he told the young couple then looked over at Kitty. "I'll see you over at Doc's in a few minutes," he smiled, knowing had badly she wanted to go to Benjamin.

As soon as Sara climbed down from the wagon, Kitty slapped the reins and hurried down the street to Doc and Margaret's house. Once there, she had barely reached the ground, than her son was at her side, his small arms wrapped tightly around her.

Tears were streaming from the eyes of both mother and son. Kitty pulled her child into her arms, and hugged him tightly to her, unwilling to relinquish him, even as Doc and Margaret came out, relieved tears in their eyes as well.

"Can I get in on that?" Matt asked from behind them. He had left Ben and Sara with Festus, writing out their confessions. He just couldn't wait any longer to be with his family.

"Papa!" Benjamin squealed in delight, pulling from his mother's grasp, to jump into his papa's arms.

Matt picked the boy up and held him securely in one arm as he wrapped his other around his wife. "It sure is good to be home." Matt said as he kissed his son, then his wife.

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Kitty sat quietly in her parlor, looking through a book, which only she and Matt knew existed. It was, in a way, a book about her life. It was filled with photographs, and cards and letters, written by and received by, ancestors, most of which she had never known.

Among the items in the book, was one picture in particular that she wanted to find. A drawing really, rather than a picture, but it was all she had left of her mother's image, beside her memory.

They had been home a week now and Benjamin had not mentioned the 'Lady' once since then. But the things he had already told her got her to thinking.

"What's that?" Benjamin asked as he walked up to stand beside her chair.

"It's a book," Kitty answered. "It has some pictures and some letters and things from my family."

Benjamin stood and watched as she turned the pages, until she finally landed on the page with her mother's picture attached to it. "That's the Lady!" Benjamin exclaimed.

Kitty felt the gooseflesh again and looked at her son. "You mean, the lady that visited you?" she asked, rather awestruck at the notion.

"Uh huh," he nodded his head. "She's the one what told Sara to help you and Papa."

Kitty was speechless for a moment. There had been so many times in her life that she had needed her mother, and never had that help. But yet, she had come to her son.

"Are you sure?" She asked, knowing he was.

Benjamin nodded. "Uh huh, she was nice, Mama. I wish you'd met her."

Kitty smiled sadly, "Well, Sweetheart, I did meet this lady. Years ago when I was a little girl."

Benjamin's eyes widened. "You did?"

Kitty nodded. "You see, Cher', that's my mother."

Benjamin grinned. "That's what the Lady called me." He exclaimed, with a touch of awe in his voice.

Kitty returned the grin. "I know."

Benjamin sobered a little. "I sure do miss her, Mama." He sighed.

Kitty pulled her son into her lap and softly kissed him on the forehead as she cradled him in her arms. "Me too."

TBC