This chapter was inspired by a Gunsmoke radio broadcast, if this interest you at all go to and check it out. Also I would like to say I am SO sorry that it has taken me forever and a day to write this. Semester test, Christmas shopping and writing course descriptions have all taken front seat to my story telling. J

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own 'em.

Chapter 14

Kitty felt as if the week was dragging by. Matt had asked her to go to the 4th of July dance with him on Monday and it was now only Wednesday. She had picked out her dress on Tuesday and she was thinking that maybe she would change her mind again. Right now she had a pretty blue one picked out but she also has a nice red one that she could wear. She also had fear in the back of her mind, fear that Matt would be called away by his duty as the the Marshal from their celebrating.

Matt too, felt like the week was dragging by. He had an important question that he would like to ask Kitty on Saturday and the waiting was nearly killing him. He also wasn't very busy, even the cowboys in town didn't seem to be as rambunctious as they usually were. Matt even tried to not look forward to the weekend trying to make the days go by faster. He was sitting in his office that Wednesday when Chester came in. After the other man removed his hat and wiped the sweat from his brow he said, "Boy this week sure is flyin' by isn't it Mr. Dillon?"

Matt grunted and didn't respond to Chester's question. The week was not flying by for him, no matter how he looked at it. Matt sighed and looked back down at the paperwork that was piled in fro not him.

By Friday Matt was like a cat on a hot tin roof. He watched the clock and paced or walked the streets of Dodge, just looking for something to do, waiting for something to happen. He smiled at the thought, he had faced down dangerous men with less nervousness than he was facing this public outing with Kitty. He smiled at that thought, funny how a redheaded woman could make his knees shake and at time make him forget his own name at times when he could stand in the street facing some of the most ruthless gunmen without breaking a sweat.

While Matt was prowling the streets of Dodge, Kitty was at the Longbranch, she of course spent her mornings sleeping and would be up by noon or one o'clock. Then she would dress in what she called her "day clothes" and go down stairs. The afternoons hadn't been busy as of late so she would often go out and shop or on a really bad day, spend her afternoon playing solitare. By evening she was busy entertaining customers and the cycle would start again. The nice thing was that lately, Matt had been stopping by except for the past few days. Well, after she thought about, she hadn't seen him since he had asked her to go to the social and dance with him. That worried her……what if he had changed his mind? What if he just wouldn't show up on Saturday and Kitty would be left to spend her evening alone while Olive, Kate and all the other girls went down to the social and had a fine time with whatever fellow they had attached themselves to for the night. Why she was sure that even Chester and Hettie would have a good time. Kitty was playing these scenarios of being left behind through her mind when the Matt showed up.

"Hello Kitty." He said, a smile on his face. When he saw Kitty's face though, his smile slowly faded and he asked, "Kitty, are you alright?"

"Oh! Matt, yes, I'm fine. It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too Kitty." Matt said, the grin returning to the young marshal's face.

"It better be cowboy. It better be." Kitty said with a teasing tone.

Saturday….

Kitty rose before her normal one or two o'clock in the afternoon and got up at ten o'clock in the morning. She went to the bathing room adjacent to her own and took a long, relaxing bath in lavender scented water. Then just dressed in her flimsy dressing gown, she went and sat down before her mirror and began the long and sometimes tedious process of putting her waist length hair into a stylish up-do. She wanted to look perfect for Matt this afternoon and evening and she definitely didn't want him regretting asking her. Kitty had been trying all week to build up her armour against the older women in Dodge. She knew what they would be saying, she had overheard their snide remarks while she was out shopping. The remarks didn't bother her but she was worried about Matt and how he would handle the criticism, the remarks and what really worried and scarred her, was how she would handle it if Matt told her that he couldn't handle being seen out in company with her. Kitty thought about that for a moment, all the times before when they were out it was in the Longbranch or on a picnic or on an evening walk when polite society where in their pretty little houses across the tracks and they were out under the scrutinity of the public eye.

Matt was sleeping late on his bunk at the jail. For some reason, Friday night had taken off like a bottle rocket. There had been so many fights at the Alahbrama (sp?) last night that Matt had lost count at number three. So he had spent his night handing out fines and sending drunken cowboys on their way out the door to go and sleep it off. What was it about holidays that always brought the worst out in some people?

He sighed and sat up on the edge of the cot, he was leaving as soon as Chester came to take care of things for the afternoon and then he and Chester both would have to be one the look out for trouble all night long. Matt hated doing that to Kitty but he couldn't really leave all the responsibilities on the shoulders of Chester. Besides Chester was escorting Miss Hettie tonight and allowing Matt to take the afternoon off to go out on a picnic with Kitty. Thinking of picnics and Kitty made him hope that she made a peach pie. He had also been thinking about when he was going to ask her. This afternoon? Tonight? Matt couldn't make up his mind. He pushed himself up to his full height and went to the door. He grabbed his hat and made his way out into the bright sunshine of the morning.

Kitty was still working on her hair. Brushing, curling and pining her shiny red locks until they were perfect. When she finished she decided that her hair at least couldn't get any better than it was right now. Then she stood and went to her closet and looked at the assortment of dresses there. She had very few that were suitable for going out under the scrutinity of the public eye with Matt. Kitty's biggest concern was to not embarrass Matt. She hadn't really thought about it when Matt asked her but it had been weighing heavily on her mind since yesterday, had she spoke to soon in accepting Matt's invitation? Kitty looked through the dresses hanging there and finally took the three nicest day dresses that she owned out and laid them out side by side on the bed. One was the pink gingham that she had worn on her and Matt's first picnic, that right there told her that it would not do. She didn't want Matt to think that she owned only one good dress. The other was a somewhat simple blue one, the other red with a dipping neck line. Kitty almost chose the red one but changed her mind to the blue one, she wanted to try and blend in with the other ladies. Goodness why couldn't she shake off this odd feeling, the whole town was going to this celebration! She shouldn't have to feel bad about going! Why Kate and Olive where going! Then she realized what her problem was, Kate and Olive were going with everyday drifter cowboys, that no one knew from Adam and Kitty was going with Matt, United States Marshal of Dodge City, Kansas. Kitty still kept the blue one, deciding that it set off her eyes and if she had to really had to admit it, she liked the blue one and hoped that Matt would as well.

At exactly eleven thrity in the morning Chester showed up at the jail. "Hello Mr. Dillon."

"Chester." Matt said.

"Mr. Dillon, you better go and get ready. Aren't you takin Miss Kitty out picnicin'?"

Matt looked at the clock, "Thanks Chester, yeah I better go and get ready. I'll be at my room at the Dodge house if you need me."

Matt set off to the Dodge House, already the street was alive with activity, children running around, cowboys coming and going and the citizens of Dodge enjoying the festivities that Matt knew from experience he had gained in other cow towns that would last well past dark.

Matt greeted Howie at the front desk of the Dodge House and then went up the stairs to his room. There he took his only good clothes out and brushed out the jacket and pants. After he had changed he put on his string tie, and looped his gunbelt around his hips. He pulled out his pocket watch and looked at it. He had just enough time to go to the stable and pick up a buggy before he was supposed to meet Kitty.

He went down the stairs, whistling as he went. Howie looked at him, "Have a good day Marshal."

Matt stopped whistling and grinned at the desk clerk, "I know I will Howie."

At the stable, Moss had a pretty bay horse hitched to one of his nicest buggy's. "Thanks Moss." Matt said as he climbed in and drove over to the Longbranch. When he went inside he found Joe washing glasses and the bar room empty. "Is Kitty around?" he asked.

Kitty was still upstairs and had just finished doing up the last button on her high top shoes when she heard the voices downstairs. She couldn't make out the words but she was almost sure that one of those voices belonged to Matt. She quickly stood, straightened her skirts and stopped for one last look in the mirror. Yes, it would do. She raced out the door and to the top of the stairs before stopping and taking a deep breath. She didn't understand why she was so nervous, you would have thought that this was the first time she had ever went out with a man. Slowly picked up her much longer than normal skirts, wouldn't it be horrible to trip on her own skirts and fall down the stairs again, and slowly descended the stairs.

Joe was halfway across the bar room, most likely coming to get Kitty when he saw her coming. He stopped and stared. Matt saw her too, Kitty smiled when she came into view and Matt smiled back. He couldn't help it, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and he was sure that nothing would ever compare to that beauty.

When Kitty finally made it down and over to where Matt was standing by the bar she said, "Hello Matt. If you'll come into the back with me, I'll get the picnic basket and we can be on our way."

Matt still stunned by how good Kitty looked, stared at her dumbly and then followed to gather up their basket. He put it into the back of the buggy before taking Kitty's hand and helped her in.

They drove out of Dodge and towards the creek that they had first picnicked at. As they got closer, Kitty stared to laugh and laying a hand on Matt's arm said, "Oh Matt, your taking me back out to where I out fished you?"

Matt smiled and turned towards Kitty, "Yeah I thought it would be a nice place to go. There also won't be any interruptions out here."

Kitty gave him a surprised look and then laughed. "You have something in mind that doesn't involve interruptions, cowboy?"

Matt laughed too but didn't answer Kitty's question. He hadn't decided yet if he would ask her about being his girl while they picnicked or later at the dance in town. He was leaning towards doing out here so that they could enjoy themselves later in town.

They pulled to a stop under a nice oak with spreading leaves and Matt ground tied the bay mare. Then he stepped around and helped Kitty out before lifting the heavy picnic basket out of the back. "Kitty, it feels like you've outdone yourself."

Kitty smiled and said, "Well I made an extra thick peach pie this time."

"Ah, it must be that then. I'm glad you made another one, I truly do enjoy those." Matt said.

Kitty spread a blanket out in "their usual spot" under the tree and then knelt to begin unloading all the things that she had made for their lunch.

When they finished eating, Matt leaned back against the tree and sighed. "Kitty that was absolutely the best thing that I have eaten in quite some time."

"Are you referring to it all or just the peach pie?" Kitty asked with a giggle.

"All of it, though I believe I could live on your peach pie." Matt said

Kitty giggled again and then moved to sit next to Matt. "Matt, you know what you haven't done in a while?"

"Hum?" Matt replied.

"This" Kitty said, leaning closer and kissing him.

Matt took up what Kitty started and when they were both breathless, Matt pulled back. "Did I tell you, you look beautiful today Kitty?"

"Thank you." Kitty said. She knew from their few past experiences that Matt was more of a doer than a sayer so to hear things like that come from his lips made her smile.

"I also want to ask you something very important, well it's important to me anyway." Matt said, suddenly feeling very nervous, his hands beginning to feel clammy.

Kitty gasped, just what was Matt going to be asking her? She moved a back a little and let her blue eyed gaze meet his.

Matt looked away once before looking back at her, "I was wondering, ah, I was wondering if you would be- be my girl?"

Kitty continued to stare at him, not saying anything. Just looking at him. Inside she was jumping for joy and kissing the daylights out of Matt Dillon but on the outside she couldn't do anything other than stare at him.

"Kitty?" Matt asked, the nervousness returning as Kitty didn't say anything to him. "Kitty, you don't have to." He began as Kitty began to cry.

Tears streamed down her face, as she looked Matt, "No, no, Matt, I want to. I very much want to be your girl."

Matt gave her a confused look as if saying, then why are you crying?

Kitty looked at him and began to laugh, first as nervousness seeped from her body and then as leaned forward and kissed Matt again. "I'm sorry Matt. I didn't mean to start crying."

"Oh." Matt said. He was still confused, women were confusing, but he would happily be confused any day by Kitty.

Later that day he and Kitty drove back into town, the tears gone and smiles of happiness on their faces. They went to the Longbranch first and Matt dropped off Kitty and the picnic basket before returning the bay and the buggy to the stable. Then he went over to the jail house to ensure that everything was still in order and that the town wasn't coming down around the deputy that Matt had hired's ears.

He and Kitty had done a lot of talking after the tears and initial happiness that afternoon. They decided to keep their relationship as private a possible and keep on as they had been for the past few months. Matt had explained to Kitty that he feared if anyone out to get at him knew that he had someone special in his life that she would be in danger. While inside Kitty had been unhappy about this she accepted it because she didn't want to put herself or Matt into any kind of unneccessary danger.

As soon as Matt was finished checking things over at the jail and had found that his deputy for the day was handling everything just fine he wandered back over to the Longbranch. He knew that Kitty wasn't really happy about him wanting to keep their relationship private but he was also realived that she had accepted his idea without to much of a fuss. And it wasn't if they were really keeping things private, they were going to continue their relationship as they had been since their first meeting, they just weren't going to let anyone know the true depth of that relationship.

So sorry I has taken me this long to get his far! I intended more for this chapter but then decided that maybe I should get it posted and leave the other for its own chappie. Thanks for all reviews. I promise that someday my life will SLOW down and I will be able to write more, lots more!