From Beginning to End

… A Gunsmoke Story

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Author's note: Keep those reviews coming! They've really meant a lot to me, each and every one of them!

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The entire room collectively held their breath, waiting for her answer. For a split second, her mind was nothing but jumbled thoughts. All the wishes, hopes, thoughts, and prayers that she had over the past few years all in one. Meanwhile, Matt remained kneeled before her anxiously awaiting an answer. A smile began to creep over Kitty's face and she eagerly replied, "Yes!"

The crowd erupted in claps and cheers as he stood up, took her hand, placed the ring on her finger, and bent down for a kiss.

Kitty could barely contain the grin as she held her hand up to examine the ring in closer detail and then looked up at a hopeful Matt.

"I love it."

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The next morning, Matt was awakened by the sound of loud banging right outside the jail followed by a couple of curse words and some grumbling. He could've swore it sounded like Festus and Doc. He tried to ignore it, figuring Festus was just fixing something when the hammering just got louder and the bickering more obnoxious. He sat up and got dressed and put his boots on before heading to the door all the while groaning and being more than a little annoyed at the situation.

"Can't you keep it down out here.." he said as he opened the door only to see Festus, Doc, and Kitty standing there right beside the door with Festus holding a hammer in his hand. "What are you up to..? What's with all the noise?" he asked as he yawned and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Good morning to you too, Grumpy." Kitty said to Matt with a smile.

"We just got done 'a fixin' yer sign, Matthew." Festus stood back with a satisfactory look on his face.

Matt stepped all the way out the door and noticed that the sign the sheriff put up was now gone, and his old "US Marshal Office, Dodge City, Kansas" sign was back in it's place.

"That old lowlife Miles Oliver tore down your sign pretty much as soon as he got here." Kitty explained. "He threw it in a trash pile on the side of the building and Doc happened to be walking by and picked it up. For whatever reason, we decided to keep it so we threw it in the cellar of the Long Branch."

"Problem was," she continued, "We had a large shipment come in not too long ago and it got buried. Well, I was cleaning up around the place the other day and found it but it needed cleaning up and a fresh coat of paint. So Festus saw to it and fixed it up and he hung it up for us."

"Well golly," Matt stepped back as he looked at the sign. "Thank you guys for your help."

"Sure, sure," Doc said. "Well, since you're already up, how about we head down to Delmonico's and have some breakfast?"

Before Matt could speak up and say that he was going to go lay back down and would catch up with them later, Kitty said "That sounds like a fine idea." Festus agreed. Kitty then looked over at Matt and waited for him to offer her his arm. He yawned again and walked back inside to grab his hat, gave Kitty his arm, and the four of them went for breakfast.

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As the countdown got closer and closer to the big day, Kitty was becoming more and more anxious. There was so much to plan, so much to do – but somehow, she found the time. And before they knew it, the big day had arrived. It was shaping up to be the event of the decade. It was a beautiful spring day with nothing but mild temperatures, a light breeze and blue skies for as far as the eye could see. All of their friends were in attendance. It seemed like every lawman that Matt had ever known rode into town to see the nuptials and soon Dodge was practically swarming with law - so much so that outlaws wouldn't dare come within a 100 mile radius. There were not nearly enough seats in the chapel for all of their friends so people were spilling out into the courtyard hoping to eventually get a look at the bride and groom.

Bess Roninger handed Kitty her bouquet, a simple yet elegant one made of gardenias accented by a few pink azaleas for a pop of color, as Doc entered the room. "You ready?" he smiled.

"Ready as I'll ever be!"

"Everyone's waiting for you, let's go." And he offered her his arm and they made their way over to the door.

Kitty stood there anxiously as the doors opened and the guests stood. Doc began to lead Kitty down the aisle and it was then that Matt got his first look at her and he'd never seen anything more beautiful in his life.

She wore a white silk dress adorned with Brussels lace, her hair pinned in up in a moderate style with two curls hanging down to frame her face. She had pinned a couple of small flowers in her hair for an accent piece. As she was making her way to the front, she looked ahead at Matt and couldn't help but smile. He was dressed much simpler, in a freshly pressed pants and jacket with a small flower pinned to the lapel that matched her bouquet. He had cut his hair but left it just long enough that his hair could still curl. She absolutely adored his curls. There was one thing missing though, she noted as she finally met Matt and they held each others hand. He wasn't wearing his gunbelt. Not that it mattered, for there were enough lawmen and guns in the vicinity to fill a small army – but she couldn't help but feel happy at the small gesture. It was as if, for a moment, they both could put all their fears and worries over his occupation aside and just focus on them and their special day.

The guests sat down and Judge Brooker began to speak. Matt had askied him to officiate the wedding some time ago and he more than happily obliged. "We are gathered her today to witness the joining of bride and groom in marriage." Matt and Kitty could only look at one another and get lost in each other's smiles. Matt, Kitty noted, was absolutely beaming.

They exchanged their vows.

"Do you, Kathleen Russell, take Matthew Dillon to be your lawfully wedded husband, to cherish in friendship and love today, tomorrow and for as long as the two of you shall live?"

"I do." She smiled up at Matt.

"Do you, Matthew Dillon, take Kathleen Russell to be your lawfully wedded wife, to cherish in love and friendship, today, tomorrow and for as long as the two of you shall live?"

"I do," he replied, not taking his eyes off his beautiful bride for even a moment.

Judge Brooker closed his notebook. "With the power invested in me by the State of Kansas, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He looked at them and smiled. "You may now kiss your bride!"

And Matt bent down to kiss Kitty and they turned to face everyone.

Judge Brooker proudly anounced to the crowd, "May I proudly present to you, Marshal and Mrs. Matthew Dillon." And the crowd erupted in applause as they made their way back down the aisle.

Once they made their way outside, the guests began to file behind them and the ones on the outside began to toss rice in their direction.

Kitty took a good swing and launched the bouquet into the air towards the eagerly awaiting group of women.

"I love you," she looked up at Matt with a million watt smile.

Brought her left hand up to his mouth and kissed it. "I love you too, honey. More than you'll ever know."

Her dream had finally come true.

TBC