Kathryn tried to stop chewing on her lip as she nervously walked over to Jake's Barber Shop. The place was empty except for Loren who was being shaved by the barber and Hank who sat with his boots up at the bench by the door. As usual, Hank was complaining about something when Kathryn walked in.
"See this is just the kind of thing I'm talking about!" Hank swept his hand out to gesture at his barmaid. "These women think they run this town. Just running around coming and going as they please. Can't even get a decent shave."
"Aw, Hank what's got you so upset?" She asked unsympathetically. Hank didn't reply to her.
"I'm going to get a drink." he huffed at no one in particular before storming out.
"I'm coming too!" Loren said. He wiped his newly shaven face with the towel that Jake handed him before following Hank out of the Barber Shop.
"What do you want?" Jake snarled. He took the towel that Loren had just left in the Barber's chair, folded it and returned it to its place on his counter.
"Why did you send for Dr. Mike last night?" Kat asked. She sat on the bench and waited for him to answer.
"She's close with the Indians." Jake shrugged. "Figured if I let him die I'd never hear the end of it. You ain't been on Michaela's bad side yet." Jake grimaced.
"Don't see any reason to go upsetting the Doc. She's been good to me and we see eye to on lots of things." Kat shrugged in return. "But I don't think you'd let Cloud Dancing die anyhow. You're a good man Jake."
"You don't know what you're talking about!" Jake hissed. "What are you doing in here anyway?" He took a swig from a flask of whiskey he kept in waistcoat pocket.
"I came to see you." Kat smiled. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you about..."
"Look, I've got customers. I don't have time for chit chat."
"I just want to know why." She asked.
"Why what, Kathryn?" He sighed before taking another swig from his flask.
"Why did you help Byron buy out my contract all them years ago?"
Due to her line of work, Kathryn and the rest of the girls weren't allowed in the church. But Hank was. Every Sunday he joined the majority of the town in the church to listen to the weekly sermon. It was one of the few times a week where Jake and Kat could be together without getting interrupted. Kat ran across the road and knocked on the locked door of the Barber Shop. Smiling Jake raced to the door and let her in. He tilted her chin up and planted a soft kiss on her lips.
"I thought you'd never get here." He smiled.
"Sorry." She laughed. "I had to help Myra and Liz with some cleaning." She stood on her toes and planted a kiss on Jake's cheek. "But I'm here now."
"That you are." He grinned. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "Why don't you quit that job of yours?" He whispered into Kat's ear. "We could get married. I'd take care of ya." Kathryn pulled her head up off his shoulder where it had been resting.
"I can't quit. I got a contract with Hank, you know that." She sighed, this wasn't the first time Jake had offered to marry her. It felt like they had this conversation at least once a month. Kat put her head back on his shoulder. "And I make a lot of money. You can't afford me on an apprentice's salary."
"Well I won't be an apprentice forever!" Jake argued. "I'm serious. Let me make an honest women out of you."
"But Jake, if you make an honest woman out if me, we'd have to start going to church." Kat frowned playfully. And if we had to go to church," She kissed his neck. "We wouldn't be able to do this anymore." She kissed her way up his neck, across his cheek and gave him a final kiss on his lips.
"I loved you."Jake replied quietly. "What other reason could there be? And I thought you loved me too. Of course if I'd known you were going to ride out of here the first chance you got, I probably would have let you rot in that Saloon."
"I did love you Jake." Kat confessed. "There isn't a day that's gone by where I haven't thought of you. I know you must be so angry at me for leaving, and I don't blame you, but you have to understand I left because I thought no one wanted me around. As far as I'd known at the time Byron had put in the money and he was telling me how I was going to live my life. I was eighteen. I had taken care of myself up until that point. For all I knew, you would have tried to control me the same way my brother was. Or even worse you might not have wanted me around at all! I'd be a burden to you. And I had to learn how to take care of myself before I could let someone else take care of me. I had a lot of growing up to do!"
"Then why didn't you say good-bye?" Jake questioned. "You could have at least said good-bye."
"You wouldn't have let me go. You would have wanted me to stay. You probably could have talked me into it too."
"Well you won't have me beggin' ya to stay this time around." He assured her bitterly before taking another swig from his flask. "You could ride right out of town for all I care."
"You're impossible!" Kathryn spat before marching back out into the street.
She stormed into the clinic where Dr. Mike was wearing a smug grin on her face. It was the closest thing to a smile Kat had seen on the Doctor's face since Cloud Dancing had been captured. So she decided to put her issues with Jake aside and ask what had happened while she was gone.
"What are ya' smiling so much for, Doc?" Kat questioned.
"My petition's arrived." Michaela explained. "I've written to Washington for a petition for Cloud Dancing's welfare." She produced the petition and proudly displayed it, unfolded, on her desk. "Would you like to be the first to sign it?"
"Course." Kathryn agreed immediately. She picked up a pen from the top of the desk and scrawled her name right under the Doctor's own signature. "Do you think it'll help him?"
"If enough people sign it, it might get him released."
A/n: As always, let me start off by saying that I love reviews/reviewers! It inspires me to keep writing and keep updating these stories, just knowing that it has an audience! Also in this chapter we get a little glimpse of Kat and Jake's previous relationship! Please let me know what you think! Also maria, i'd love to communicate with you! if you make a Fanfiction account [it's free] it will give you the option to message authors like me! :D it is the most secure way to talk with me! [Otherwise you'd have to leave your email address in a review and ANYONE could see it.] And to Chacha, glad to hear you enjoyed the story and find it different from others! Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing I hope you enjoyed Chapter 9!