AN: Thank you readers who stuck with this convoluted story. A special big thanks to those who left comments. Your thoughtful comments, plot ideas and predictions are truly appreciated. On with the show

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Stone-faced, Matt drove back to Dodge with two dead bodies in the rear of the wagon, two horses tied to the back, and a duffle bag stuffed with valuables that were stolen, hoarded, killed over and died for. He turned onto Front Street and heard Chester's voice before he saw him frantically waving his arms. "Mister Dillon, Mr. Dillon." Chester limped/ran to the wagon as Matt slowed to a stop. "Mr. Dillon, it's Miss Kitty – she's hurt – it's her head - Doc says she'll be alright - it was Darlene – but…."

Matt jumped down from the wagon as words continued pouring from Chester's mouth. "Is Kitty at Doc's?" Chester nodded. Matt strode off calling over his shoulders. "Get the bodies to Percy's and the horses and wagon to the stable. Grab the duffle bag and keep your eyes on it." Matt hurried up the stairs to Doc's and burst through the door. Doc looked up from his desk and adjusted his glasses, "Calm down Matt, she's gonna be fine, and she'll be awful glad to see you. Oh, I had to cut some patches of hair to stitch up her scalp. Be sure to tell her she still looks beautiful."

With a grateful nod, Matt took off his hat and opened the door to the back room. "Feel like having a visitor?"

A smile lit Kitty's face. "Matt, I'm so glad your back." He sat on the side of the bed, and noticed she self-consciously angled her head to hide her shorn hair. "Kitty, you look beautiful." She raised an eyebrow. "Doc told you to say that. Now tell me what happened with Lola." She waited for an answer, her eyes searched Matt's strained face. Her heart sunk. "She's dead, Matt, isn't she? How?" Matt grimaced and slowly shook his head, as if he still could not believe how things played out. "Kitty, Lola and her husband Danny managed to shoot each other. It was all about what was in that duffle bag, that's all either of them cared about." Kitty sighed, staring straight ahead. "Matt, if it had to come to that, I'm glad you weren't the one who had to shoot her. That would have burdened you something terrible." She looked into his clear blue, her own eyes welling up with tears. "I was all wrong about her, wasn't I?" Matt took Kitty's hand. "Before she died, Lola said to tell you she wasn't the same girl you knew, and she was sorry. She said that people change." He took a breath to gather his words. "The way I see it Kitty, whatever she did when she left New Orleans – whatever she became - doesn't change the friend she was to you when you were girls. Lola gave you peace, safety and joy when no one else was there to do that. I think we should honor that, don't you?" Kitty slowly nodded, her voice was barely audible, "I'd like that. I'd like that very much." They were quiet for a moment, drawing comfort from each other. "Kitty, Chester said something about Darlene. Did she confess to stabbing Lola? Is she the one who hurt you?"

"Oh Matt, it's so complicated. Darlene is really just a girl, a girl who's lived a strange and difficult life, in a world apart. She's waiting in your office to try and explain it all. I think she's trying to do the right thing."

Matt pushed himself to his feet. "I'll go hear her out, and I have to tell her what happened to her brother and Lola. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Two Days Later

Matt's gripped a wooden cross in one hand, and pressed the other against the small of Kitty's back as they slowly made their way up the crooked road to Boot Hill. It had taken some time for Kitty to style her hair, and angle her hat to her own satisfaction, even though Matt assured her she looked great. They reached the top of the hill and found Doc, Chester and Sam waiting beside a fresh grave. Matt set the end of the cross into the soft earth and hammered it down, Words, chosen by Kitty, were carved in the wood.: Lola Bennett O'Brian. Taken from God's green earth at the age of 26.

The men removed their hats and Matt stared down at the cross, knowing he was expected to say a few words. He bowed his head. "Lola knew how to be a friend, a real friend. At her best, her heart was big and generous, and her smile could sooth a troubled soul. We honor her for that. May she rest in peace."

Chester, Sam, Doc and Kitty nodded in unison. "Amen." Sam took the lead back down the hill, Doc and Chester followed. Kitty took Matt's hand and pulled him over to another fresh grave. Darlene was standing over it, alone . She heard them approach and spoke without turning. "I figure you think my brother wasn't much, but after Daddy died he was all I had. They were both hard on me, I guess, but they were family. We had some good times, and even if it wasn't perfect, they took care of me in their own way." Darlene turned and looked at Kitty and Matt. "I can't thank the two of you enough for giving me a chance at making a new life for myself."

Matt pushed his hat back. "Well, Kitty pointed out to me, I didn't have witnesses or proof that you threw that knife at Lola. On top of that, Kitty, didn't want to press charges for robbing her cash register or pushing her." Kitty put a hand on Darlene's arm. "I believe in second chances."

Tears clouded Darlene's eyes. "You've done more than I could hope for, Kitty. Contacting that dressmaker in Hays City, to get me a place as an apprentice. I don't know how to thank you."

"Don't mess up. That's how you'll thank me. Most people don't get third chances."

Darlene smiled, "I won't mess up. If you knew how hard I worked at knife throwing, even as little kid, you'd know I don't give up 'til I get it right. Well, I'd better get going, the stage coach to Hays leaves soon." She reached in her skirt pocket and pulled out her knife. "Marshal, take this please, I have no use for it." She put it in his hand, and scampered down the hill like a little girl.

Kitty and Matt watched her disappear. The marshal took the saloon-keep's arms and they slowly walked down the narrow dirt path that lead back into town. "Kitty, that was a mighty generous thing you did for Darlene, after everything that happened."

"After the awful mess with Lola, I wanted – I needed – something good to come out of it all." She smiled up at Matt. "You did your part too. Lola didn't have the whole price of a stage-coach ticket to Hays, you paid the rest. I bet you think I didn't knew that." He smiled sheepishly. "You seem to know everything about me." She squeezed his hand. "Yep, that's why I know that like me, you had some real hard times growing up. Like me, you made mistakes that could have set you down a real bad path. But we were lucky, and met some folks along the way who pointed out a better direction. Matt, Darlene has a lot of years in front of her, she's barely a woman. After her upbringing, and the life she's led, she deserves a chance at something good and decent. Now, it's up to her."

They were quiet as they stepped off the narrow dirt path from Boot Hill, onto Front Street. Kitty pointed at the pearl-handled knife Matt was holding. "I think Darlene gave you her knife to show she really wants a new life. What do you plan on doing with it?"

"I'll put it in the duffle bag with everything else. Federal agents are arriving on the evening stage to take possession of it. I have no idea what they'll do with all the money, gold and jewels that were stolen in so many places over so many years, but I guess I don't much care. I'll just be glad to have it off my hands and out of my sight. But first things first, let's get you home to bed."

Kitty smiled. "Doc said I could go back to work today."

"Hmm. Another day of rest wouldn't hurt."

Kitty shook her head and laughed, not even wanting to voice how ridiculous that sounded coming from Matt Dillon, the worst patient in the world. She looked up at him. "How about we get some beers at the Long Branch and take them up to my room. Let's have a private toast – to the girl Lola once was, the woman Darlene can become, and the paths you and I found for ourselves, the ones that led us to each other."

Matt's clear blue eyes locked with hers. "I'll drink to that."

The End