I would like to thank BroncoMap and LadyBrit for beta reading this story for me. Their detailed comments and suggestions were very valuable in helping me to get across the story it was my intention to write. Any errors, typos, or other problems are - of course - my own.

At this point, thirteen out of twenty-one chapters are complete and it is my intention to post a new chapter every other day until the story is complete. I'm starting you out with two chapters to get the feel for the story. I hope you enjoy what I've written, and as always I greatly appreciate your comments and PMs - it's what keeps me writing. Nevada Rose

Chapter Two: Matt and Festus

Quitting or staying, there was one thing left to do before Matt Dillon married, and that was to take Brad Tonneman in to Kansas City. Tonneman was the worst kind of spoiler, and Matt could barely stand to be in the same room with him, much less be civil to the man, even if one of them was behind bars in the drab cell behind the marshal's office. He'd watched, helpless, bound and gagged, as Tonneman and his men had burned a whole family inside their home. He'd known that they'd done the same thing before – their way of extracting fearful cooperation from the 'steaders in the area – but part of him knew that this particular object lesson had been directed straight at him. His own rescue, at the hands of Festus and Newly, had just set him on the trail again – this time with a posse – and this time successful in bringing in Tonneman himself. A trial, his own stolid testimony, and a guilty verdict seemed some vindication, but there were other crimes resting against the man, and extradition to Missouri for further trial was the next step. After that Kansas and Missouri could argue about who got to execute him. Matt himself thought about standing the man on the border tied to a team of horses on each side and letting them see who could pull hardest. He still dreamed of fire and children screaming. On those nights he knew it was time for him to quit.

Festus had already fed the prisoner, jerky, water, and a heel of bread, when Matt walked into the office. The door to the cells was carefully closed. "You want some coffee, Matthew?" Festus asked, shaking the pot.

"Nope, just had some with Doc. But I'll take you to breakfast when Newly gets here to watch the prisoner," Matt said.

"Wah-ell that would be fine, Matthew, jus' fine. I could use some vittles. Could use a break from that there prisoner, too," Festus replied.

Matt looked up from the papers on his desk, "He been givin' you trouble, Festus? Want me to stay with him tonight?" Matt felt guilt twisting his gut. He'd left too much of Tonneman's care to his deputy, allowing him too big a share of the dirty work.

Festus' clear eyes met the marshal's across the desk, and he said, quite gently, "Matthew, you know I don' want that. There's a sight of difference between lis'nin' to that polecat's filthy mouth and havin' to watch him do that there. You done the hard part already, Matthew, I'll jus' go 'head an' take on this li'l bit for you." He turned away to look out the window, then back to smile at Matt, just a little slyly. "Anyways, Miss Kitty likely needs you with her right now."

Matt's face closed over. That was plain speaking, and a ways beyond the line, even for a man who knew, had to know, where to find the marshal if he were needed in the night. Then the impact of what Festus had said hit him. How could the hillman possibly know, possibly even suspect, when Doc hadn't? Festus' next words startled him even more, "You gonna marry her, Matthew?" Dillon wasn't ready to be asked that question twice before breakfast.

"You have something to say, Festus, you go ahead and say it," he told the deputy in what he hoped was a calm voice.

"I ain't hoorahin' you, Matthew. I just want to know. You gonna marry Miss Kitty before that baby's born? Seems to me like you ought to, but I know it ain't none o' my business. Wouldn't matter back in the hills, Matthew. Why back there everybody'd just know how things was and there wouldn't be no need for a preacher. But here in the big city, well, you know there's folks that put a store by little things like that. Might be easier on Miss Kitty if you two was ta go ahead with it formal like." Festus hesitated, and then got on to the part that mattered most to him, "I'd hate to see Miss Kitty bein' treated poorly by some o' them fine laydees around town, Matthew. She's a better woman than any o' the likes of them."

Matt took a breath. Their lives had been too private for too long to let loose without some pain. His conversation with Doc earlier this morning had already stretched him to his limits. "Yes, I'm going to marry Kitty. Next week when we get back from Kansas City." He watched the huge smile that spread across his deputy's face and couldn't resist the question, "How the hell did you know she was having a baby, Festus? We haven't told anybody, even Doc, until this morning."

"Why, Matthew, all a body had to do was look at her! First she was all greeny sick-lookin' for weeks on end, and then this last month just glowin', glowin' like a rose." Festus shook his head sadly, "I jus' cain't see how ol' Doc missed all that, him makin' out like he's a pro-fesh-un-ul doctor an' all."

And at that point the street door opened to let in both Newly and Doc. "Who's a professional doctor?" Adams spouted, "You talking about me behind my back, again?"

"Well you know I don' do that, Doc. I'll say anything to your face needs sayin'," Festus commented, "Matthew and I we were jus' talkin'. How you doin' this mornin', Newly? I done fed that there prisoner. No need to even open the door, I'd say, ifn I was you."

Newly nodded and seated himself at the desk with a newspaper as the other men collected their hats and walked out. Short of a fire or tornado, he had no desire to open the door to the cells, and no intention of doing so.