Sully and Kat walked back in to town with Wolf padding along between them. They walked over to the clinic where Dr. Mike was waiting for them outside.

"How was your walk?" She asked as the siblings approached.

"It was just fine Doc." Kat smiled. "Though I suppose, I'll be needing to find a more permanent place to stay now."

"Well, you're more than welcome to stay at the Homestead until you find a home of your own." Dr. Mike promised. "Isn't that right Sully?"

"Of course." Sully nodded. "But the homestead will be awful cramped with all of you in it. I could build you a home Kathryn."

"What would I do with a whole house to myself?" Kat asked with her hands on her hips. "No I'll find a room here in town. Course I don't know where, now that the boarding house is closed."

"It doesn't have to be."Dr. Mike had a sudden idea.

"But you need those rooms for your clinic." Her friend reminded her.

"Yes, but not all of them." The doctor decided. "Short of another epidemic, I doubt every room in the clinic will be filled. You can choose one and live there."

Shoot, I don't know Doc." Kathryn frowned.

"Might be a good idea, Kat." Sully shrugged. "You'd be right here in the center of town."

"Come to think of it," Dr. Quinn smiled. "It would help me a great deal. There would be someone here in case I have overnight patients. Someone to talk to when I have to stay late, to keep an eye on things when I can't be around. I could even teach you some basic things about medicine for when I go out of town. I won't even charge you any rent as you'd be doing me a favor."

"But how will you pay your mortgage if you let me live here for free?" Kat asked, seriously considering the offer.

"Oh I own the building." Dr. Mike smiled.

"You sure are one hell of a lady, Doc." Kat smiled. "Sure know how to make an argument too. Ain't need nobody to rescue you." she winked at her brother. "Alright, I'll take it." She stuck her hand out and Dr. Mike gave it a shake.

"We can get you settled in here tonight after dinner. I'm sure the children will be glad to help." Michaela promised. "Why don't you join us for dinner tonight Sully?"

"I'll be there." Sully agreed. "I've got some things I have to see to now, but I'll see you both tonight. It's good to have you back." He kissed his sister on the forehead and walked out of town.

"Well, I wonder what changed his mind." Dr. Mike continued to smile as she watched her best friend stroll away.

"I think it was that speech you made last night about family." Kat explained. "Byron and I have never really been too good at family matters. But he had a real chance with Abigail. When she died...it must have tore him apart. I'm guessing that his time with the Cheyenne taught him some lessons to."

"And what about you?" Dr. Mike asked. The two women walked inside and continued their conversation.

"I'm not sure I really know what family is, but I'm learning." Kat closed the door behind her. "You mind if I go on upstairs and take a look around?"

"Be my guest." Dr. Mike invited.

So Kat went upstairs and poked around. She opened door after door studying the rooms. In the end she decided on a room with a large window that faced away from the Saloon. There was a pitcher and basin for washing, and a sizable bed, and a dresser. It was the first time Kat had ever had a dresser all to herself. Come to think of it, there was more space in that room than she'd ever had.

After awhile She went back downstairs to learn some doctoring from Dr. Mike. She learned how to sew up stitches, the proper dosages for Chloroform, Aspirin and other basic medications. She helped the doctor with her patients as they came and went from the clinic. Sometime late in the Afternoon Kat decided to take a stroll through town. She almost turned and ran back inside the clinic when she spotted Hank standing out on his porch. But there was an old saying about keepin' friends close, and enemies even closer, So with her head held high she marched right on over to Hank's Saloon.

"Ain't you have anything better to do, than be lounging out here all day?" She snapped at Hank.

"Nope." Hank replied with a grin. For added effect he puffed a billow of cigar smoke in her face. Kat coughed remembering how awful those things smelled. "What are you doing back here anyhow?" He asked.

"Frankly, I don't see how that's any of your business." Kat crossed her arms.

"Kat?" Someone called her name from inside the Saloon.

"Myra?" Kat called back, recognizing her old friend's voice immediately. Myra burst through the Saloon doors, and Kat pulled her into a hug. Hank rolled his eyes and continued puffing on his cigar.

"Well they said you was in town, but I didn't believe it!" Myra gushed.

"Well, here I am." Kat smiled back. Myra suddenly looked worried.

"You're not back to ah..."

"Oh heck no." Kat assured her. There was no way she'd go back to working for Hank.

"Oh good." Myra relax.

"You know, you ought to be thanking Myra." Hank told Kat ask smoked the last of his cigar.

"And why is that?" Kat asked, she glared up at Hank.

"Oh it was nothing, don't go worrying about it." Myra insisted, suddenly embarrassed.

"What's he talkin' about Myra?" Kathryn asked, but her friend didn't answer.

"You mean nobody ever told you how you got outta your contract?" Hank chuckled.

"Byron paid it off." Kat huffed. "He said he borrowed half the money from a friend..."

"Well that ain't the whole story." Hank cut her off. "When Sully came to me he only had about six months of what that contract was worth. Your old pal Slicker offered to pay off six more months himself, and when she found out that was all they could afford, Myra here offered to add the remaining two years to her own contract."

"Jake was the friend that he...And Myra, you...why would you do that?" Kat could barely speak. It was one thing for her brother to put all his money into getting her out but for Jake and Myra to invest so much in her freedom.

"You weren't made for this life Kat." Myra replied. "You was so young, and you just wanted to see the world. I knew I'd never much amount to anything. And I've been fine working for Hank. And now I've only got a year left and then me and Horace'll be getting married..."

"Oh Myra, how can I ever thank you?" Kat flung her arms around her friend again. Then she had an idea. "Hank, I want a job."

"Kat, no!" Myra protested.

"I don't think Sully and Jake'll be too happy to pay for you a second time." Hank pointed out.

"I don't want to do that kind of work." Kat said. "Just tending bar. You know lady bartenders bring in higher spenders than male ones. And you don't have to pay. Any money I make'll be going towards Myra's contract. And when you find a girl to replace Myra, I'll do the training." Hank lit up another cigar as he considered her offer.

"What do I get out of it?" He questioned.

"Free labor and more time for your to do...whatever it is you do." Kat explained. Hank mulled the decision over for another minute or two. He crunched a few numbers over in his head and smiled.

"You got yourself a deal little lady." Hank grinned and puffed another billow of smoke. "Let's get inside, I'll draw up the paperwork."

"No." Kat said firmly. "No paperwork this time. I want to be able to leave at any time. And I want to be able to come and go as I please. I'll be living at the clinic, and helpin' Dr. Mike. This will be like a...a second job."

"Now wait just a minute..." Hank started to argue.

"It's a better offer than you'd get from any other Lady bartender." Kat assured him. Hank tossed his cigar on the ground and stomped it out.

"Do what you want, you meddlesome woman." He grumbled before walking back into the Saloon.

"I ain't never seen nobody talk to Hank like that." Myra marveled.

"It's because of you Myra." Kat smiled. "If I hadn't left town all them years ago, I wouldn't have never learned how to take care of myself. You know, actually take care of myself, not like I thought I was doing back then."

"Myra, get back in here!" Hank hollered from inside the Saloon.

"I gotta go, but I'll be seeing you around." Myra promised before ducking back inside. With hundreds of thoughts swirling in her head, Kat stumbled off the Saloon porch and tried to clear her head.

A/n: Thank you to Maria for this story's first review! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed this story and my writing! I have some ideas about how the story will go on, but I'm not too sure about how long it will last or when it will end. I guess we'll just have to wait and see! And there will be more revealed about Kat & Jake too!