Matt was up as soon as the sky started to show the first hint of color. He didn't want to miss a moment of daylight in his search for Kitty.

As Festus picked up his bedroll, he wondered if Matt had even slept. He only had a few hours himself at most and when he did awaken, Matt had already been up.

"Matthew," he said patting his friend's shoulder. "We'll find em today! Don't ya worry!"

"I know, Festus," Matt said looking toward the sky. But the worry about what Bonner was capable of never left the back of his mind. It had taken Kitty months to trust anyone enough to touch her the first time after Bonner had taken her. Even himself, she had issues with until he finally showed her, he wasn't going to hurt her like Jude Bonner did.

Matt had sworn to her that if he ever got the chance, he'd kill Bonner and yet, he did have the chance in the street in Dodge and he just couldn't bring himself to forget his pledge to the law, not even for her. But this time, this time when he got to Kitty and if Bonner was still there, he promised himself, he wouldn't hold back, not this time. Bonner was his and if Matt had his way, the outlaw would die once and for all!

Robert squeezed out a rag of cold water before mopping Kitty's brow with it, then he grinned in relief when the woman opened her eyes and met his. "The baby?" she said looking around in a panic as Robert put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her.

The physician smiled before he picked up a tiny bundle wrapped in what was left of Kitty's petticoat. "She's just fine, Kitty," he said placing the infant in her mother's arms. "We've been keeping each other company while you were resting."

Kitty smiled softly before shaking her head. "She is perfect, isn't she?"

"Uh huh," he said as the fuzzy red headed baby slept soundly in her mother's arms.

"I wish Matt were here," she said quietly before looking up as Robert suddenly jumped to his feet.

"I think...some one's coming," he said picking up his revolver before heading out of the grove.

"Robert," Kitty said worriedly as he turned around.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he whispered putting a finger to his lips.

Kitty hugged her daughter close as Robert disappeared from her sight but a moment later, she heard him call out. "We're over here!"

Matt stopped and looked around before looking at the two men beside him. "Did you hear that!"

Festus was the first one to see Robert coming though the brush behind them. "There's Robert!" he said turning Ruth toward his son.

Matt and Burke followed as Robert waited a few feet ahead for them to arrive.

"Son," Festus said sliding off Ruth once they stopped. "Yer alright?"

"Yeah," Robert replied with a grin as Matt looked around worriedly.

"Where's Kitty?" he asked meeting Robert's eyes. "And what did you do with the Bonner's!"

"That's a bit of a long story," Robert said sheepishly. "But I think you'd better head into that grove of trees there. You'll find your wife and I think she'd really like to see you right about now!"

Matt didn't give it a second thought as he hurried toward the grove. When Festus started to follow, Robert grabbed his arm. "Just a minute, Pa," he said with a smirk. "Kitty'll probably want to introduce him to their daughter without us standing there gawking at them, if you know what I mean!"

"Daughter?" Burke said as Robert nodded.

"She was born early this morning," he said as a flash of light caught his eye.

Turning his head sharply to the right, he got just a glimps of movement in the brush before he sent the black muzzle of a gun being raise.

Matt stepped into the grove and his eyes immediately fell on Kitty. Turned to her side with her back toward him, he started to approach her and stopped half way there when he saw the tiny pink baby nestled against her chest nursing on an exposed breast.

"Kit..." he whispered as Kitty turned to look up at him.

"Matt," she cried as the man went down to one knee.

"The baby," he asked gently as Kitty smiled.

"A girl, cowboy," she said quietly.

Matt smiled but it suddenly turned into a frown and a look of worry when he heard the first of several gunshots.

"I'll be back," he said reaching for his gun as he got to his feet.

"Matt, please be careful!" Kitty yelled as her husband headed back the way he'd come.

"Pa!" Robert yelled pushing Festus down after the first shot rang out but before he could fire off a round from his gun, Bonner fired again.

Matt stepped outside the trees just in time to see Bonner fire in the direction where Festus, Robert and Burke were scrambling to find some kind of cover. He raised his gun, carefully took aim and the next time Bonner came into site to fire again, Matt squeezed off a round and then grinned triumphantly when he seen Bonner go down.

He hurried toward his friends but stopped short when he saw Burke stand up and turn away. Looking down, he watched his long time friend gently straighten Robert's jacket before putting each hand across his chest where a large scarlet patch of crimson red blood had formed.

"Festus," Matt said in anguish as the hill man never looked up.

"He's gone Matthew," he said quietly with tears streaming down his face. Looking up, he meet Matt's eyes before looking back down into Robert's inanimate face. "I didn't even git ta say, goodbye."