Doc slowly walked down the stairs from his office and stood on the boardwalk with this hands deep into his trouser pockets. His crystal blue eyes scanned the lamp-lit street as he tried to decide if he wanted a drink before or after he ate. He chose before and turned to the Long Branch only to be stopped by someone calling his name.

Doc turned around to see Wilbur Jonas limping up the boardwalk, "Jonas? What are you doing out at this time of night?"

Jonas looked at the doctor, "It's only slightly past nine. I thought I would see if you'd like to have a drink with me," he said shyly.

Doc smirked and ran his hand across his moustache as he studied the store owner's face, "Does Ellen knows you've come to town for a drink?" he said with a hint of humour.

"Oh, yes. I told her I was going to see if you'd join me," Jonas said with his bowler hat now in his hands. Jonas' eyes shifted around as he looked up and down the street as he leaned toward Doc, "I don't think she'd let me come to have a drink on my own," he said in a hushed voice.

"She's wise," Doc nodded. "I'll see if Sam will get me a sandwich too. It's been a while since I've stopped to eat," Doc said as he turned to the Long Branch Saloon with Jonas at his side. Doc heard the man sigh with relief that he accepted his invitation. The physician smiled to himself.

"How are the marshal and Miss Kitty," Jonas asked as they crossed the alley to the saloon.

"They'll both be fine. I expect Matt to be up and about in a day or two," Doc answered as he looked over to the store owner, "Kitty will need more time," he stated.

Jonas nodded.

"And how are you?" Doc asked. "Oh, I'm all right. I should have the store open tomorrow," he said with a hint of nervousness.

"Well that will be good," Doc smiled. "I'm sure folks are tired of having to trudge all the way over to Blandish's store," Doc said as he pushed though the swing doors of the establishment.

"To be honest, I need to do it more for me," Jonas said.

Doc sat in a table near the back and watched Jonas lower himself onto a chair, "I know," he said as his eyes locked onto the store owner. "I know you've been having a lot of mixed feelings about the store and Dodge lately. Once you get back into the swing of things, you'll feel better all round," Doc said as he leaned on the table and clasped his hands in front of him.

Jonas drew a deep breath and looked around the room, "I just hope they don't think I'm some kind of..." his voice tailed off.

"Jonas, what you have endured in the past few months, few other men could. You shouldn't feel anything but self-respect," Doc said with a quick wink to hide his slightly scolding tone so not to put Jonas off.

Jonas pursed his lips under his silver moustache, "You are right Doc," he smiled and welcomed the drink that Sam set down in front of him. "Here's to Dodge," Jonas said as he lifted his glass.

"Here's to you and a successful reopening," Doc said as he tapped his glass on Jonas'.

"Thanks Doc," Jonas smiled. "Here's to you too," he took a sip from his glass. Doc hated undo attention and snorted as he took a drink for his glass.

Jonas sat his glass down and wore a puzzled look on his face, "Doc?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you talk to any of the men from the army?"

Doc sat his glass down, "Yes," he wondered why Jonas was asking.

"The fellow that I spoke too seemed nice enough," the store owner stated.

"Which one was he?" Doc was curious.

"A tall fellow with fair hair. Cox was his name," Jonas nodded to himself.

"Well, he seemed the nicer of the two that's for sure. The other one seemed to have something else going on in his mind. That's why I was worried for Festus to go with them," Doc stated.

"You don't think there's going to be any trouble do you?" Jonas asked over his glass.

"Wherever Festus is, there's bound to be trouble," Doc half joked and picked up his glass downing the remaining contents.

Jonas twisted his mouth in thought. He remembered back a few times when Festus had big ideas which lead the store owner astray, "Oh dear," he muttered in agreement to Doc's statement and quickly finished his own drink.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Festus watched sergeant Williams from his bedroll. He was certain that the sergeant hated him as much as he hated the sergeant, but there was also something else that was eating away at the deputy's conscience. Doc warned him that he felt that there was something more to the matter and the more Festus thought about it he began to believe the doctor was right. But what was it.

With his arms crossed over his chest and his hat slightly covering his eyes he continued to watch from his fire. Sooner or later a rat will show itself he decided as he continued to study the soldiers around their fire.

"I don't trust that deputy, I tell you," Williams again stated.

"Look, we'll soon catch up with Hodgson and his men, and this will all be over with," Cox stated as he tried to downplay Williams' growing mood.

"It won't end just like that, you know that, don't you?" Williams shot back.

"What do you mean?" Cox's eyes shifted from Festus to Williams.

"There will be questions and there will need to be answers," Williams shifted to a more comfortable sitting position as he spoke.

"Well of course. That's how we do things all the time," Cox stated.

Williams was silent for the longest time as he looked over to Festus. "Not this time," his eyes narrowed. "Not this time."