"Not Enough?" An MM/ATC for "Kitty Lost" (Season 3)

Part 2: Matt asks his questions and gets some answers.

"Chester, would you mind going and getting some sticks and branches so I can get a fire started?" Matt asked.

"Sure thing, Mr. Dillon," Chester said. He walked towards the tree to get the sticks and branches that Matt had asked for.

Matt looked around for a good place to build the fire. He spotted the log and knew near the log would be a perfect place. Kitty could sit on the log and enjoy the heat from the fire, while drinking the coffee Matt planned on making. Matt escorted Kitty over to the log and sat her down. He sat down next to her. Now was the time to start asking some questions. Chester was busy gathering the wood for the fire.

Taking a deep breath, Matt asked his first question? "Kitty, did the dude that you were with force you to go with him?"

It was now Kitty's turn to take a deep breath. After doing so, she slowly let it out. "No, he did not force me to go with him. I went under my own accord."

Kitty's answer took the wind out of Matt's sails. For some reason Kitty chose to go with a man she had just meant. She obviously saw something in the man, something she didn't see in Matt. Did that mean that Kitty didn't think he was enough for her? Was the dude enough or more than enough for her. Speaking of the dude, where was he?

"Kitty, where's the dude you rode off with?" Matt asked. At that moment the man's name slipped his mind. Matt knew Mr. Dobie said the name, but Matt couldn't remember it.

"Jim Rackmill saw some Indians, hopped on the horse, and high-tailed it out of here," Kitty replied.

'James Rackmill,' Matt thought to himself. 'That's what the dude's name was.'

"Kitty, why did you go with him?" Matt asked. "It's not like you to go off with a complete stranger."

Kitty felt embarrassed. However, Matt deserved to hear her answer. "Honestly Matt, I'm not sure why I took his offer of a buggy ride. I knew you weren't going to be staying the night. We already determined last night would be one of the nights you didn't stay the night. Since I knew that, I didn't think a buggy ride was a bad idea. Boy, was I wrong."

Matt didn't want to dig any further. Kitty said the buggy ride was a bad idea, but that did not tell Matt whether or not she felt Matt was enough for her. Maybe Kitty realized that Rackmill wasn't the man, but that didn't mean she wouldn't keep looking. For now Matt was thankful that Rackmill rode off.

Chester gathered up as much kindling as his arms could hold. He could see that Matt had set up a mini camp. All that was missing was the wood for the fire. Chester could also see Matt had a spot for the fire already to go.

"Here ya go, Mr. Dillon," said Chester as he dropped the load of sticks where Matt had planned to have the fire.

"Thanks, Chester," Matt responded. "That should be good a good start. We'll need something to keep the fire goin'"

Kitty stood up. "I know just the thing," she said. Kitty got up and walked over to Rackmill's coat and hat. "Will these work?"

Matt had to smile. "I think those will do the trick." He took the coat and hat from Kitty and threw them in the fire.

Once Matt had a fire going, he walked over to this horse. He started looking for everything he would need to make coffee. After Matt had all he needed, he walked back to the fire. As Matt was returning to the fire, a thought occurred to him. Kitty said that Rackmill rode off because he saw Indians. He and Chester saw pony tracks. That meant there was a strong possibility that Indians could still be nearby.

"Chester!" Matt called out. "Come here!"

Hearing Matt call him, Chester went to see what Matt wanted. "What do ya need, Mr. Dillon?"

"Grab one of the rifles and keep guard," said Matt.

"Am I guarding against Rackmill?" Chester questioned. He remembered the dude's name.

"I was thinking about the Indians, but I guess you could look out for Rackmill," Matt replied. "I wonder if he'll even return."

"I'll keep a lookout," said Chester.

Matt walked back to Kitty. "Kitty, while the water is getting hot for the coffee, I'm going to see if I can fix that axle. Because when I do, I can get the wheel back on, and we can head back to Dodge."

"Jim tried earlier and couldn't fix it. He said it was impossible," Kitty told Matt.

Kitty's statement made Matt feel good. He saw the coat that Rackmill left behind. Judging by the size of it, Rackmill wasn't a big man. Matt knew if he had to, he could easily take Rackmill in a fight. Rackmill wouldn't stand a chance.

Matt went over to the buggy. He could see two rocks sitting next to the bent axle. Matt figured Rackmill must have used the rocks to try and unbend the axle. Matt looked at the bent axle and at the rocks. After some contemplation, Matt decided it would be better to try to straighten the axle with his own strength. At least by using his own strength, Matt could show Kitty that he was more of a man than Rackmill.

Matt went down on his knees and positioned himself in front of the axle. He put his hands on either side where the axle was bent. Matt took a couple of deep breaths and tried to make the axle straight. To his delight, Matt noticed the axle was straightening out. His hands were getting sweaty and losing their grip, so Matt wiped them on his pants to dry them off. With his dry hands, Matt grabbed the axle again and straightened it some more. He had it fixed enough to get the wheel back on, so they could get back to Dodge.

Kitty watched Matt fix the bent axle with his bare hands. Rackmill couldn't fix anything with a couple of rocks, but Matt could with just his hands. Kitty was in complete awe as she sat there and admired Matt. He was quite the man and he was her man. Why she even went with Rackmill was beyond her.

After he fixed the axle, Matt walked over to Chester. "There ain't a sign of no one out there, Mr. Dillon," said Chester.

"No," Matt agreed.

"How's Miss Kitty doing?" Chester asked.

"Oh, she'll be alright once she has a little coffee," Matt replied.

"It sure takes a lot to get her down," Chester stated.

"Yeah," Matt said with a smile. Chester's comment made Matt proud. It did take a lot to get Kitty down.

"Didja get the buggy fixed?" questioned Chester.

"Yeah, the axle was bent. I fixed it enough to get us back to town," Matt answered.

"When are we gonna head back?" Chester asked.

"As soon as she's ready to go," Matt said. "You better keep a lookout, just in case."

Matt walked back to Kitty. He knew the water was hot enough by now. Kitty watched Matt return. He took a bag of some coffee grinds and poured them into the hot water. He never ceased to amaze her.

"You sure keep everything in those saddlebags," Kitty observed.

"I usually have some jerky," Matt said. He was about to apologize for not having any.

"All I need is coffee," said Kitty.

"Kitty, as soon as I can get a horse hitched to the buggy, you'll be eating in Delmonico's," said Matt.

"Matt, how far is it from Dodge," Kitty asked. She was suddenly curious.

"About ten miles," Matt responded.

"Do the Indians come that close to town?" asked Kitty.

"Sometimes," Matt replied as he poured the hot coffee into a tin mug. He handed it to Kitty. "Now be careful because it's hot."

Kitty gladly accepted the mug. "I need this." She took a sip of coffee.

"I guess I'll go harness my horse to the buggy," said Matt. He stood up.

"Matt, wait," said Kitty. "I told you everything except how Jim drove the buggy over the log and broke the wheel off. It sounds silly, but I gotta tell ya."

Matt couldn't help but chuckle. Knowing Kitty, Matt had an idea what possibly happened. "I bet I can guess."

"He tried to kiss me and I slapped him," said Kitty. "The horse jerked around."

"Kitty you've got quite the temper," said Matt.

"Yeah," sighed Kitty. "And I paid for it this time."

"I bet ya didn't learn a thing," said Matt.

"No but Jim Rackmill will when I find him back in Dodge," said Kitty.

"Maybe you won't have," said Matt. "You said you didn't know how far Rackmill rode off. Maybe he didn't get away."

"I hope he didn't," said Kitty. "I hope he didn't. Running off on a woman like that."

It was then that Chester yelled for Matt. Matt went over to see what Chester wanted. Chester pointed out a man on horseback, riding towards them. He questioned if that was Rackmill. Matt wasn't sure, but thought it was possible. Chester couldn't understand why Rackmill was coming back. The only explanation that Matt had was that Rackmill was lost and was going in circles. Matt still wasn't quite sure if it was Rackmill, but his suspicions were confirmed when he saw Kitty coming towards them.

"Kitty, is that your friend?" asked Matt.

"Yup," Kitty replied.

"Uh huh," said Matt. He was ready to have words with the man.

"No, Matt," said Kitty. "Let me handle this."

Matt couldn't tell Kitty no. He had to let her handle this. Matt knew Kitty could handle things on her own. However, if things got out of hand he would be ready.

After some loud and choice words and a few explanations, Matt, Kitty, Chester, and Rackmill were ready to head back into town. Matt should've made Rackmill ride the horse back, while he rode in the buggy with Kitty. But for some reason, Matt asked Rackmill to drive the buggy back. He figured Rackmill wouldn't try anything, not with Matt riding next to them and the slap Kitty gave Rackmill the night before.

'Kitty slapped Rackmill. That was another sign that Kitty felt Rackmill wasn't the man for her. But that still didn't tell Matt whether or not she thought he was enough for her. He was going to ask her earlier, but lost the courage. He had to know. Matt would go to her room after his rounds and ask her.

TBC

*Author's Note: I know Rackmill's coat and hat weren't burned in the episode. You can see them on the log Kitty is sitting on, while she sits by the fire. However, in this story, they are burned.