"50 Times" An MM/ATC to "Gold Mine" (Season 11)

Before Pickaxe

She pulled her carpet bag out from under the bed and placed it next to the other one that had been packed earlier. Kitty had a few more items to pack, but she was confident that there would be plenty of room for Matt's attire. The two of them were going to take a trip to Pickaxe the next day. Kitty had inherited a gold mine from a man named Swanson, and she wanted to claim the deed on it and check it out.

Several days earlier….

"Kitty, how can you even be sure that this so called goldmine is legit?" Matt asked, reading over the papers Kitty had given him. "I'll say this again, Kitty. I think you should just forget about this goldmine. Besides, Pickaxe isn't the greatest place to go, especially for a woman."

"Matt, I don't know if the goldmine is legit. That's why I want to go to Pickaxe and see if it is," Kitty replied. "As far as me going alone, I won't be going alone."

Matt gave Kitty a confused look. "Who exactly is going with you?" Kitty stared at Matt and gave him a smile. "Me? Kitty, I just can't take time off and go to Pickaxe with you. With Festus' bad leg and Thad going to Spearville, someone has to stay around town."

"Matt, it's been quiet around Dodge these last few days. We'll leave at the end of the week. By then, Thad would be back from Spearville or close to it. I really want to check out this goldmine. If it turns out to be a worthless piece of land, then at least I'll know that. But if it turns out to be worth something, maybe I can make some money off of it. The Long Branch hasn't been doing the greatest lately. This could be a great future investment for us."

"Kitty," Matt started to say.

"Matt, I'm going whether you're with me or not," said Kitty.

Matt took a deep breath, let it out, and ran his hand through his hair. He knew Kitty meant what she said. He also knew that he did not want her to travel to Pickaxe alone. "Fine, we'll leave on Friday. Thad should be back from Spearville on Friday."

"Oh, thank you, Matt!" Kitty put her arms around his neck and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "You won't regret this."

Present Time

Kitty was putting her corset in the carpet bag, when she heard Matt's familiar footfalls on the steps. She looked at the clock and realized that he must've finished his rounds early. Kitty went to the door and opened it for him.

Matt entered the room. "I thought you'd be getting ready for bed by now." He noticed that she was still wearing her dress from earlier, and her hair was still styled and pinned up.

"I was finishing packing for our trip tomorrow," Kitty replied. "There's plenty of room for your stuff in my second carpet bag, unless you plan on bringing your own." Kitty noticed Matt didn't have anything with him. "By the way, where is your stuff?"

"That's why I'm here. I'm afraid I can't make the trip tomorrow. I have ta get ta Hays City. We can make the trip to Pickaxe another time."

Kitty couldn't believe her ears. "Matt, you can't be serious. We've been planning this trip all week."

"Kitty, I'm sorry, but things like this come up. You know that," Matt could see Kitty was getting upset.

"Oh I'm well aware of that," Kitty said in a low voice.

Look, I wanna take off early tomorrow, so I'm gonna sleep at the jail. I'll see ya when I get back." He wanted to give Kitty a kiss. But with one look at the expression on her face, Matt decided it would be better if he didn't.

Matt left and Kitty heard him descend down the steps. "Yeah, you better sleep at the jail," she whispered to herself. "Alright, you think you need to go to Hays City. That's fine with me, but I'm still going to Pickaxe."

Kitty took her two carpet bags and hat box off the bed and placed them near the door. She began her routine of getting ready for bed. The stage was leaving tomorrow morning at nine o'clock and she did not want to miss it. She could probably be in Pickaxe and back by the time Matt got back from Hays.

"I promise ya Doc that the next time we eat at Delmonico's, I'll pay fer it," said Festus, hobbling on crutches next to Doc.

Doc tugged on his ear. "You're gonna pay the next time? I'd like to see that."

"When us Hagens make a promise, we stick to it," said Festus. He held up his right hand. "If I'm lyin', I'm dyin'"

Doc noticed Kitty walk out of the Long Branch with her luggage. "Now where in thunder is she going? I thought you said Matt went up ta Hays City."

"He did. Matthew left jest before dawn," Festus replied.

"I hope she isn't planning on going to Pickaxe by herself. You know Matt wouldn't approve of that," said Doc. "Come on." Doc crossed the street with Festus following him. "Kitty!"

Kitty heard her name and turned around. She saw Doc and Festus coming towards her. "Is there something I can do for you fellas?"

"Yes. You can tell us where you're going," Doc answered as he pointed to the carpet bags and hat box she was carrying.

"I'm going to Pickaxe to check out my inherited goldmine," Kitty simply answered.

"I thought you and Matt were going to go to Pickaxe together," said Doc.

"Matt who?" Kitty sarcastically asked.

"By golly Mizz Kitty," said Festus. "I know Matthew has toldja more than once not ta go ta Pickaxe."

"Probably a hundred times," Kitty smirked.

"You should have someone go with ya," Festus tried to point out.

"I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself," Kitty replied, determined not to let anyone stop her from going to Pickaxe.

"Festus, go on over to the jal, and I'll look at your foot when I get there," Doc instructed. "I wanna walk with Kitty to the stage depot."

"Shore thing," said Festus, hobbling back to the jail on his crutches.

"Here, let me carry one of those for you," said Doc, holding out his arm. Kitty gave him one of her carpet bags. "I suppose I'd be wasting my breath trying to talk you out of going."

"Doc, Matt said he needed to go to Hays City and I need to go to Pickaxe. And yes, you would be wasting your breath trying to talk me out of it."

"Did Matt tell you why he was going to Hays?" Doc asked as they reached the depot.

"No, he did not," Kitty answered. "And right now I really don't care if he has a reason. Thank you for helping me." Kitty took her carpet bag from Doc.

"I don't approve of this trip, but I know I'm not going to talk you out of it," said Doc, swiping his hand over his mustache. "I wish you safe travels, and I hope to see you soon."

Kitty gave the stage driver her carpet bags and hat box. She wasn't sure who the driver was. It wasn't Jim. That didn't matter. It wasn't unusual for Jim not to make a stage run.

After Pickaxe

Kitty and Matt were up in her room sitting on her bed. Matt had removed his Stetson, boots, and gunbelt, but both were still fully clothed. Downstairs they sat at a private table in the corner of the Long Branch discussing exactly how Kitty could express her gratitude towards Matt. But first Kitty wanted to talk with Matt about something that had been on her mind since Matt told her he would not be able to go to Pickaxe with her.

"Matt, what was the reason you suddenly had to go to Hays?" she softly asked.

Matt scratched the back of his head and prepared his answer. "I had gotten a stay of execution for Billy Colt. The man who committed the crime confessed. The sheriff from Jetmore was bringing him to Hays. Billy's life depended on me getting to Hays. Thinking back, I should've told you why I had to go to Hays."

"It probably wouldn't have made a difference," Kitty admitted. Matt looked at her, and Kitty went on to explain. "At the time I was so upset with you, that your explanation would've fallen onto deaf ears. When you said you had to go to Hays City, I thought it was your way to avoid a future with me. I told you the goldmine could be a great future investment for us, and then you couldn't make the trip with me because you had to go to Hays. During the stage ride to Pickaxe, that's all I could think about. Believe it or not, that actually made me more determined to go. Matt, I have to know something. Do you see a future for us?"

Matt took Kitty's hands into his and looked directly into her face. "Kitty, I would love to have a future with you, but you know that a lawman's future isn't guaranteed. I know you like to look ahead and dream of the future. I'm different. I live day by day. I don't let myself look too far into the future. I've always been that way, and you know it."

Matt was correct. Kitty knew that was how Matt viewed life. "Matt, I appreciate your honest answer. I guess I'm grateful that you still want a future with me."

"Trust me, Kitty. I do," said Matt. "Now, before I collect on your gratitude, am I going to have to tell you fifty-one times not to check out your gold mine?" Matt laughed.

Kitty laughed with Matt. "No, you won't have to tell me fifty-one times. Were you able to save Billy Colt?"

"Yeah, everything turned out right for him," Matt replied.

"I'm glad to hear that. Now Cowboy, you just lean back against the headboard there and let me work my magic."

Kitty started by slowly removing her attire. Matt watched with eager eyes. Once she had her attire removed, Kitty climbed onto the bed and started to remove Matt's clothing. Each time she unbuttoned a button on his shirt, she kissed the exposed skin. When the last button was unbuttoned, Matt removed his shirt. He was about to unbutton his jeans, but Kitty stopped him. She silently told him to let her do it. Matt obliged. Kitty undid the button and pulled down the zipper. Matt assisted her in taking his pants off. Kitty easily pulled off his socks. They were now both in the nude.

Kitty climbed on top of Matt, straddling him. The kisses started off sweet and gentle, but it did not take long for the kisses to become more heated and passionate. Kitty needed to feel Matt inside of her and Matt wanted to feel himself inside of Kitty. In one swift movement, Matt rolled them over and was laying on top of Kitty. She was not surprised by Matt's moves. Kitty smiled at him, and her smile got bigger as he slowly entered her.

Once inside her, Matt and Kitty began their own private intimate dance, the one only they knew the steps to. It was the dance they would never share with another person. As their bodies continued to move in time with each other, both of their climaxes were close. With one final thrust, Matt exploded, filling Kitty with his seed. At the same time, Kitty's muscles clinched around Matt.

After things settled down, Matt gently pulled out of Kitty and rolled onto his back. He gathered Kitty into his arms. Matt was going to run his hand through Kitty's long, red tresses, but realized her hair was still up.

"Do you plan on keeping your hair up all night?" he quietly asked.

"Right now, I don't have the energy to take all the pins out," Kitty answered.

"I'll tell you what. You go and get your brush, and I'll take out all the pins and brush your hair," Matt offered.

Kitty didn't take long to consider Matt's offer. She climbed out of bed and walked to her vanity to collect her brush. When she returned to the bed, Matt was sitting up waiting for her. Kitty sat in front of him, and Matt began the task of removing the hairpins and brushing through her hair. Matt may not think too much into the future, and right now Kitty wasn't going to think about that. Right now she was content with the present and the way that Matt was making her feel, the love that he was showing as he continued to brush her hair and brush light kisses down her neck on and shoulders.

The end

*Author's Note: It's been almost five months since I updated this series. I figured it would be a good time to do so, especially since I'm still enjoying Christmas break. I go back to teaching on January 8th. Happy New Year!