Chapter 2

Riding all night, Matt had practically run Buck into the ground, by the time he finally reached the ridge just above Dodge, the following morning. But he didn't stop and he didn't slow down, not until he'd reached Front Street and pulled up in front of the Long Branch.

He hadn't even dismounted, however, when he saw Sam stepping out of Doc's office and he knew. "Sam?" He called as he climbed down from his horse and started up the steps.

"She's in there, Marshal." Sam said sadly, knowing he wouldn't have to explain who he was talking about. "She's alive, but she's hurt bad."

Matt asked no further questions. There'd be time enough for that. Right then he only wanted to see her. Passing Sam on the stairs, he raced to the top, two steps at a time until he paused at the threshold to catch his breath. Finally, he pushed the door open and stepped in.

Kitty was lying on the examining table, a large bandage wrapped around her head. Doc was sitting beside her, her wrist in one hand and his stethoscope against her chest in the other.

"Doc?" He whipped off his hat and stepped up next to the table, looking down at the deathly pale face of Kitty Russell.

"She was hurt pretty bad, Matt." Doc said as he pulled the stethoscope away and gently laid her arm next to her side and pulled the sheet up to her chin. "Someone came into her office, while she was working back there, and brutally hit her over the head. She's got a bad concussion. A bad one."

Matt swallowed hard and licked his suddenly very dry lips. "Could she…?"

"I don't know." Doc answered. "It's possible. The head wound is enough to ki…" He couldn't finish that sentence.

Matt sat down heavily in the chair beside the table. "Who did it?"

Doc shook his head, and took a swipe at his upper lip. "I have no idea who did it but I know why. The safe in her office was open and there was money missing, Sam said. He thinks there's some whiskey missing from the storeroom too."

"Where was Sam when this happened?" His voice took on the hard edge of anger.

"He was out front, tending bar. He said business had picked up quite a bit and the bar room was pretty noisy. He didn't hear anything. He didn't even know anything was wrong till he went back to ask her a question and found her lying on the floor. From the looks of her, I'd say someone came in from the back and hit her over the head. She probably didn't know a thing. Festus and Newly found some faint tracks out back of the Long Branch." Doc continued. "They saddled up and took off to follow them. They've not come back yet, though, so I don't know if they found anything or not."

Matt said nothing. There was nothing to say.

Doc saw the look on Matt's face, the same one he wore every time Kitty was hurt. If Festus and Newly did find the man who did this, they'd better keep Matt away from him for a while. A very long while, if Kitty died.

Tugging at his ear with a sigh, Doc walked over to the bedroom door. "I'm going to get a little rest, Matt. I've been up all night with her. Call me if she should stir or… Well, just call me."

Matt's gaze didn't leave Kitty's face as he nodded acknowledgement. Moving closer to the table, he reached out and grasped her right hand in both of his. His mind flashed back two years to the night he'd returned to town to find her lying just like this, beaten, abused and shot by Jude Bonner. He'd held her hand that night too and begged her to stay with him. "I need you." He'd told her.

Truth be told, he still needed her. His need for her had never lessened. But as he sat there, staring at her pale face, he wondered if she knew that. He knew he hadn't told her that too often, though he'd tried in many ways to show her. But words were difficult for the stoic man, especially words meant to convey emotions. He had trouble enough showing her how he felt, speaking of it was, most times, down right impossible.

Leaning back in the chair, he sought a comfortable position with which to sit while he kept vigil. He'd been awake now for the most part of 36 hours and he was bone tired. But if he had to sit in that chair for another 36 hours with no sleep, he would do it. If it meant he could watch her and make sure nothing more happened to her, he would do it. He couldn't explain it, but he had a feeling, if he just stayed there, with her, he could, with that action alone, keep her alive. And that was the only thing he cared about right then.

He wasn't sure when, but at some time during his bedside vigil, he must've fallen asleep. He awoke to the sound of a baby crying. Quickly, he sat up and looked over at the exam table. It was gone as was Kitty, her hand no longer in his. He was no longer in Doc's office. He was in a great room in a large overstuffed chair next to a warm fire. With his heart in his throat he jumped to his feet. "Kitty!? Kitty!?"

"Sssshhh." Kitty walked in from another room, a small pink bundle held closely to her chest. "I'm trying to get her back to sleep, Matt." She said softly and tenderly as she looked down at the tiny cherub in her arms. "What's wrong?"

Matt's mouth dropped open as he took in the sight of a hale and hearty Kitty, beautiful as ever, maybe even more so, without the makeup and elaborate hairdo and the tiny little girl in her arms. "Whe…" He licked his dry lips and tried again. "Where were you?"

"I was just in the other room, changing her diaper." Kitty looked at him strangely. "Matt, are you okay? You look kinda strange."

Matt pried his eyes off of the baby in Kitty's arms and resettled them on her face. "I… I don't know. You… you were hurt. Ho… how did you…?"

"Hurt?" Her brow crinkled. "Matt, I'm not hurt. A little tired, maybe. Babies have a tendency to take a lot out of you. But I'm not hurt." She stepped up closer to him and reached up, kissing him. "As a matter of fact, I'd say, I've never been better."

"mmmm… mmm…"

Matt's eyes snapped open and he looked around. Kitty was lying on the table as she had been and was moaning. He still had a tight grasp of her outstretched hand. The room he'd just been in, had faded away. "Kitty?" He moved over closer to the table. Her moaning stopped and she was once again still.

Matt had to take several deep breaths, while the vestiges of the dream fell away and the reality settled back down on him. There was no baby and Kitty was hurt. "Oh, God." He moaned.

"Matt?" Doc stepped into the room. "What's wrong? She come to?"

Finally regaining control of his self, Matt shook his head. "She moaned a little, but she didn't wake up."

Doc grabbed his stethoscope and put his glasses on as he shuffled over to her side. Taking a look at the big man at her side, he saw how worn out he was. "Matt, why don't you go get some rest. You can't be any help to Kitty, if you're exhausted. Besides you need a bath and some clean clothes wouldn't hurt you. Go on. I'll send for you if she stirs."

For a second, Matt started to protest, but he realized Doc was right. "You'll send for me?"

"Go on." Doc ordered.

Wearily, Matt softly rubbed her hand with his calloused thumb, before nodding. "I'll be at the jail."

Doc said nothing as he watched Matt leave and then looked back down at Kitty with a sigh.

TBC