After the Storm 10

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

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As he had two months prior, Nathan paced anxiously in the hospital hallway, waiting, not so patiently, on word of Kitty's condition. His mind kept returning to the gruesome sight, which had greeted his horrified eyes, when he ran from the pub, onto the icy street.

Kitty, lying pale and still in the middle of the road, people standing around her as one man stood nearby ringing his hands. "I couldn't stop," he kept moaning. "I couldn't stop."

When Nathan had reached her side, he was sickened at what he saw. Kitty was lying on her stomach, her bloodied cloak billowing out from her, and her head turned to the side. There was an ugly red gash on her forehead.

On the back of her dress was a narrow bloody mark. Looking up, Nathan saw the likely cause of that mark. A heavy dray wagon was sitting a few yards away.

Nathan closed his eyes and drew a shaky hand across his haggard face, to rid himself of the image. A door opened behind him, and he turned to find a very grave Dr. Lewis approaching him.

"Mr. Hancock, isn't it?" Dr. Lewis remembered the name.

Nathan nodded. "Yes it is. How is she?"

Dr. Lewis glanced at the door he had just come through, and then returned his gaze to Nathan. "Mr. Hancock, when Mrs. Dillon was here before, I remember you stating that she has no family?"

"Why do you ask?" Nathan sidestepped the question.

"Well, Mrs. Dillon is in serious condition. The accident may have caused some serious damage to her spine. Fortunately I don't believe there are any internal injuries. It looks like the wagon struck her but didn't roll over her. Still we will be monitoring her condition closely in the next seventy two hours."

Nathan still didn't understand. "Is she going to live?" he asked nervously.

Dr. Lewis nodded. "I believe she will, but to tell you the truth, I'm not sure she'll ever walk again. I won't go into the technical terms, but suffice it to say the damage could be severe. That is why I was wondering if she had any relatives. If I'm correct, she will need someone to take care of her and her child."

"Well, I will do that" Nathan volunteered.

Dr. Lewis shook his head. "I'm sorry; Mr. Hancock, but Mrs. Dillon would need constant care. As a business man and a single man it just would not work. You would not be able to provide the kind of care she would need."

Nathan couldn't deny that. "You figure then, if she has any relatives, they could take care of her?" Nathan stated more than asked.

Dr. Lewis nodded. "She and her child. If there is no one, then we'll have to see what other arrangements can be made. If it turns out that she is unable to take care of herself and her child, the courts could very well take her son from her, and place him with a family that could care for him. I know how much she loves her son and I wouldn't want to see that."

Nathan remembered the name Kitty had given him, and took a deep breath. "Doctor, when you asked me about her husband, when her son was born, I'm afraid I was a little less than honest with you. I told you Mrs. Dillon's husband was gone, but what I didn't say is that's he's alive, but she and he haven't been together for some time."

"Do you think he would come if he were contacted?" Dr. Lewis asked.

"I don't know," Nathan answered honestly, "but I know where he's at, and I'll send a wire today to tell him about this.

"Good," Dr. Lewis smiled briefly. "Let me know if you get a response, will you?"

Nathan nodded, as he watched Dr. Lewis return to Kitty's room. Rubbing his neck, Nathan placed his hat back on his head and left the hospital, headed for the telegraph office.

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Matt tossed restlessly on his jail cot, his mind centered on Boston. The train was due in today and he wanted very badly to be on it. He had promised Doc to stay put for a few days, but he wasn't sure he could. He wanted his family back, and he knew now that was exactly what Kitty and their child was to him.

Sitting up, Matt looked around the jail. He hadn't arranged for anyone to take his place while he was gone, and he had a ton of paperwork on his desk to complete, as well as several other things that comprised his duties, but he didn't want to do them. He wanted to go to Boston. He wanted Kitty.

"Marshal"

Matt looked up to see Barney standing in the doorway. "Yeah," he answered.

"I've got an urgent wire here for you. It was actually sent yesterday afternoon, but the wires were down till this morning."

Matt took the wire, afraid it would be some official order to pick up a prisoner or attend a trial, delaying his trip to Boston even more. But his eyes grew wide and his heart trip hammered in his chest, as he read the words. His breathing became difficult.

Barney stood nearby to see if there was any reply, and grew concerned when he saw the Marshal pale and beads of sweat form on his brow. "Everything alright, Marshal?" he asked, concerned.

"Barney, I need you to do me a couple of favors." Matt answered.

"Sure Marshal," Barney agreed easily, afraid not to.

"Go back to your office and send a reply to this wire. Tell them I will be on the train today." Matt grabbed a piece of paper off of his desk and a pencil and scribbled frantically. "Then I want you to send this to the War Department. When you get that done, go find Doc Adams and give him this wire. He'll understand."

Barney nodded in reply and turned hurriedly leaving the jail, although for once it wasn't so that he could inform his fellow Dodge citizens of the contents of the Marshal's wire.

An hour later, Matt stood at the train depot waiting to board, sporting a fresh shave, his courting jacket and a worried anxious expression.

The wire had been brief but frightening. "Kitty Russell hurt * stop * come soonest or reply *Nathan Hancock, partner."

He didn't know Kitty had a partner or anything else about her life in Boston, but apparently the partner knew about him. For that he was glad.

"All aboard," he heard the conductor cry. As he boarded and walked to his seat, he noticed a shorter, gray haired man sitting in the seat across from him.

"Glad you could come, Doc. I know Kitty would want you want there" Matt said, a little relieved to see his friend had made it. If Kitty was hurt, he wanted someone there he trusted to monitor her health.

"You knew I would come," Doc answered. "You get a replacement for Dodge?"

Matt nodded, "Yeah I sent a wire to the War Department. And I sent a wire to that Hancock fella, telling him we were coming."

Doc returned the nod and glanced out the window. "Than let's go get our girl."

TBC