Matt squeezed Kitty's hand as he rose and said he'd take Tom to Ma Smalley's. Kitty smiled seeing the sparkle in her cowboy's eyes at the pleasure he took in having a son. He took Tom along to Ma Smalley's she took one look at Tom and took a guess at the relationship between Tom and Matt.
"Ma this is Tom Clarke Dillon my son."
Ma smiled and led the way to the room right next to Matt's two private rooms.
"You must be hungry I'll have some supper ready directly," Ma said.
If Matt thought that he and Tom would get away without breakfast the next morning he was mistaken as Ma up early as usual insisted on making breakfast.
"Tom's a growing boy he'll need a substantial breakfast in him," Ma said.
Tom grinned at that the older women in Brackettville and the 2 ladies on the train they'd all felt a need to feed him. Ma placed ham, eggs and biscuits in front of them she knew Matt had always had a good appetite and was gratified to see that Tom had inherited that from Matt too.
As soon as they eaten breakfast they went to the stables to saddle up. The news of Tom's arrival had gone round Dodge like wildfire as they watched him ride out with Matt they were happy to see their Marshal looking relaxed and happy with such pride in a son.
Matt took Tom to a fishing hole that Doc had told him about not wanting to have Tom catch him and Kitty in their private place. They got a fire going to make coffee and cook any fish they caught.
"John probably told you we were taught to track by Adam Kimbro," Matt said, "I already knew a bit about tracking I learnt that from my friend Two Buffalos."
Tom grinned suddenly Matt looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"My closest friend is Running Buck his father is Two Buffalos."
Matt smiled as he watched Tom fishing the boy was all he could hope for in a son. He found himself wishing that he could marry Kitty and have other children if it wasn't for the badge.
"You like Miss Kitty don't you?" Tom asked.
"Of course I like her."
In fact Matt thought I more than like Kitty I love her to distraction.
"Why don't you marry her? Miss Kitty reminds me of Ma."
Matt thought back over the intervening years to when he and Tess were together. Tom was right she had been a redhead too and yes, very like Kitty in her outlook on life.
"The badge if the wrong people knew about Kitty they could use her to get to me."
"That's BS and you know it."
Matt studied Tom even closer his son was sure a smart cuss. He reminded Matt of himself when he was a young man.
"You better watch your pole looks like you got one."
Tom smiled Matt was squirming like the fish on the end of his line trying to find a way not to carry on the conversation. Matt looked up as four men rode up to the river bank.
"Sorry to disturb your fishing."
"No mind that's the first fish to bite all day."
Matt reached for the coffee pot.
"Hold it right there Marshal."
Matt looked at the four men he'd never seen them before and didn't know what to make of them.
"What's all this about?"
"We don't like you"
The man with the gun leveled it and fired the bullet hit Matt in the shoulder Tom caught him as he fell. He grabbed Matt's gun while pulling his own and started shooting downing all four then turned and held onto Matt.
"Pa! Can you ride?"
"I can try Tom."
Matt rose up to his knees Tom assisted him the rest of the way.
"You better bring Buck here."
Tom fetched both horses then assisted Matt up onto Buck. He saw that Matt was now unconscious he needed to get him into Doc as soon as maybe so he took his rope and tied him to the saddle. He mounted Smoky and taking Buck's reins he kicked Smoky into a gallop raced back to Dodge.