This fanfiction is
intended for mature readers due to the vivid depiction of a consensual adult
relationship. The setting is First
Season, post-The Preacher. I am not a doctor, and none of the medical procedures
used in this chapter should be attempted at home. Someone could get an eye put out.
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Kitty felt a weight pressing on her stomach. Cracking open her heavy eyelids, she detected
the gray light of dawn in the room and the accompanying chirping of birds outside
as they woke to start a new day. Lifting
her head a bit, she discovered the weight on her belly was a curly mop of brown
hair and long, heavy arms. Gently
snoring, Matt Dillon was perched on a straight-backed chair drawn close to her bedside,
sprawled asleep atop her body. If she’d
had enough energy, she would’ve smiled at the sight, but as it were, she simply
let her head drop back on the pillow in utter fatigue. She turned her gaze to see Doc slumbering in
a very uncomfortable-looking chair, propped against the wall in a corner of the
room, suit rumpled, collar undone and tie dangling.
Even in her exhausted state, her heart swelled at the
kindness of these two wonderful men in her life, caring for her and staying by
her side in her time of need. She
realized with a very great certainty that belied blood ties--these men were her
family. She gave a tiny sigh of
contentment, laying her hand atop Matt’s head, threading her fingers in his
unruly curls while her eyes drifted closed again, joining him in quiet, healing
rest.
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When she awoke again, it was to the smell of coffee brewing
and the gentle murmuring of low, familiar voices. Kitty stirred a little as she opened her sunken
eyes, and Matt and Doc were at her side in an instant.
Doc said affectionately, “Mornin’, Sleeping Beauty…” He winked at her and gently placed his
fingers on her wrist to check her pulse.
“I’m so glad you’re back with us…
Your fever finally broke late last night.”
Matt asked worriedly, “How do you feel, Kitty?”
Her voice came out sounding strange to her own ears, hoarse
and frail, “Like I been rode hard and put away wet…”
Both men smiled in relief at her humorous reply.
Doc chuckled, “That’s my girl.” He tugged at his ear. “You just complain all you want, young
lady. That way I know you’re gonna be
all right.”
Matt sighed in relief, “You sure had us worried there for a
while, Kitty.”
Kitty then noticed the beard growth on Matt’s and Doc’s
unshaven faces and asked in wonder, “How long have we been here?”
It was Matt who answered.
“Three days.”
“Three days?” Her
dark-circled eyes opened wider. “It
couldn’t be…”
Doc interjected, “Kitty, you were a sick girl. You have pneumonia, complicated by the fact
that you’ve inhaled a lot of completely inappropriate substances lately…” He glanced at Matt. “…like mud…and smoke…” He scrubbed at his mustache and suddenly
turned away so that she couldn’t see his face.
“Pneumonia?”
Matt answered, “Yeah, Doc says it may take another week for
you to feel like even gettin’outta bed, Kitty.”
“A week? What am I
gonna do?” Her throat was so sore. It felt like she’d been swallowing
glass.
Doc’s voice was firm.
“You are not going to worry about anything, Kitty. We’ll figure something out.”
Matt added, “I don’t wanna take you back to that hotel. That’s for sure. And it was the only hotel in town." He paced to the front window and looked
out. “We could just stay here. But I don’t know when the doctor who owns
this place might show up again…”
“Show up?” Kitty felt
like all she was doing was repeating Matt and Doc, but it was just all so
overwhelming.
She noticed the muscle working in his jaw like it did when
he was angry. She responded weakly, “Oh…”
Kitty didn’t know what to say.
She couldn’t imagine Doc ever doing such a thing. It made her appreciate him all the more.
She heard Doc muttering ominously from the other side of the
room about unethical medical practitioners and hanging wasn’t good enough…
She had a sudden thought and nearly sat up, but her feeble
body wouldn’t let her. “What about the
ranch?”
“What?” Matt
scratched at his unkempt hair.
“My uncle’s ranch? Do
you think we could stay there?” She
coughed and the action was accompanied by a severe pain in her ribs, like she’d
been kicked by a horse. Matt’s hand
touched her shoulder, but she shook her head.
“I’m fine, Matt. But really, you
two need a decent place to rest. I won’t
have you sleeping in chairs on account of me…”
She began coughing again in earnest, and Matt wrapped an arm around her
shoulders and helped her sit up a little.
Matt said anxiously, “Doc, is it time for her to take some
more medicine for her cough?”
Doc looked at his pocket watch and shook his head. “Not yet.”
But he piled a couple more pillows behind her to elevate her chest and
ease the coughing. “Matt, why don’t you
ride out to the Pierce ranch and check things out? Maybe get the key from the lawyer, Hepley, I
believe his name is. I’ll get Kitty to
eat something while you’re gone.”
Kitty was rapidly tiring, and the thought of food didn’t
interest her at all. She closed her eyes
and said in a near whisper, “Please, Matt.
Do it for me. I know the house
has more than one bedroom. You’d be so
much more comfortable.”
Matt took her hand in his and squeezed reassuringly. “Alright, Kitty. I’ll be back soon. You be sure and eat something, you hear?”
But Kitty was half asleep already. “Mmm…” was all she managed to say before her
chest rose and fell evenly and reassuringly in the cadence of sleep.
Doc said quietly, “She’s right, you know. It’s going to take several days for her to
recuperate. She’ll do a lot better if
we’re all settled someplace a little more comfortable than this.”
Matt looked anxiously at Kitty, whom he’d been afraid he
would lose the last few days. It was all
too fresh in his mind.
Doc urged, “She’ll be fine, Matt. I promise I’ll take good care of her for
you.” Doc gave him a piercing look. He had been able to tell from the moment he’d
walked into the sickroom two days ago that there had been a definite change in
Matt and Kitty’s relationship since they’d left Dodge. What that entailed was none of his business,
but he was happy for them nonetheless.
He loved them both dearly and had hoped they’d both come to their senses
someday and realize they loved each other, too.
Doc slapped Matt comfortingly on the shoulder and vigorously
nodded his head. “Go on, now. The sooner you go, the sooner you’ll get
back.”
“Alright, Doc. I hear
ya’. You just take good care of her for
me…” And he strode out the door with a
surreptitious backward glance at the red-headed patient slumbering peacefully
in the small bed.
tbc
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