Marshall Dillon sat at the edge of the canopy bed, his Sunshine lightly snoring behind him, contemplating the fast darkening day outside the bedroom window. In the tradition of all good cowboys, his boots were already on and his holster was already cinched. He could feel something coming like a dark tide.

He rose to his feet and made his way out the door and into the street. A strong wind was already kicking up, blowing sand into his eyes and forcing him to squint. Thunder and Lightning would be soon to follow.

He cast his eyes up and down the road, still trying to get a feel for what was unsettling him so. Dillon was not known as a nervous man by any stretch. In fact, in the face of danger, his pulse actually slowed. But today was different. He was keyed up in a way that would rattle even anyone that knew him.

“Tell the good news, Marshall. Your sworn brother has returned.”

Dillon tensed. The voice had come from the darkness behind him, but he needed no time at all to place it.

“Case. You shouldn’t be here,” He hissed without turning around.

“Nonsense, Dillon. I wouldn’t have missed this reunion for the world. I’ve been looking for you since the end of my pirate days. We have so much catching up to do.”

“We have nothing to discuss. Our partnership dissolved years ago.”

A dry chuckle. “That’s no way to treat a friend, Matt. MARSHALL Matt. I wonder what folks would think MARSHALL if I told them the truth about you, eh?”

Finally Dillon turned. “They’d think I made a mistake. Young men tend to do such things. But I’ve more than made up for it.”

“Oh? You killed that Sherriff back in Buxley Matt. How do you make up for that?”

Dillon colored. “He was gonna kill me and you know it Case. He had found me guilty by himself and was gonna carry out the sentence.”

“You tell yourself whatever you have to, Matt. It’s not my cross to bear. But let’s face it. Two little birds are we. Just peas in a pod.”

“What do you want Case?”

“Same as every man, I guess. A piece of land. A little house. A wife and some rugrats. Speaking of which, how’s that little woman of yours? Over easy? I hear Tequila makes her clothes fall off.”

“Leave Sunshine out of this. And what I want to know is, what’s it gonna take to make you leave?”

“Well that’s just the thing, Matt,” Case sneered. “I kind of like it here, and I figure you owe me some favors. I thought maybe you might know of a vacancy or two in the area.”

“Or what, Case? You gonna blackmail me? Tell the city I rode with the Shelton gang for two years? If you did that, you’d have to tell em you did too. And sure as you’re standing here, they’d run you up a pole too. Why don’t you grab your horse, start humming “toot toot tootsie goodbye” and ride off?”

“Still thick headed ain’t you Matt? I’m not gonna tell the city nothing. I just figured you’d help a buddy out for old time’s sake. Without your help, I guess I’ll just have to do it the old way. Be a squatter.”

Dillon’s breath caught. In the Shelton gang, being a squatter meant killing a land owner and moving into their home. Case was talking about burying one of the people in his town.

“You shouldn’t have said that, Case,” Dillon hissed, his hand automatically dropping to his holster.

“Tsk Tsk Dillon. I ain’t gonna fight you. I’ll leave that up to Duffy.”

To Matt Dillon’s left, a large figure rumbled into view gripping a Remington that was pointed right at the marshall’s chest.

“See I’ve already gone through this town Matt, and the best property here is yours. Duffy and me? We’re gonna be squatters. And you know what? There is Sunshine in my soul old friend. It’s gonna be a pleasure for Duffy and me to have her around.”

Dillon could imagine well enough what that meant. His heart slowed.

He threw himself to the left and drew his Colt in one fluid movement. The remington thundered and large chunks of sod flew up where Dillon had been. The Marshall drew a bead on Duffy and thumbed the hammer as Case whipsawed himself out of view. Dillon’s first bullet took Duffy in the shoulder just hard enough to knock the second Remington blast off target. What might have taken off his head sailed off to his right instead and debarked a birch tree.

Quickly, Dillon thumbed the hammer twice more.

The first shot ripped into Duffy’s leg, and the second took him in the throat. Like a tree, the 250 plus pounder toppled, his rifle falling on top of him.

For Matt Dillon, instinct was now completely in control. He threw himself behind an oak tree just as a pair of bullets parted the air beside him. He peaked around the trunk, trying to draw a bead on Case, but his quarry appeared to be on the move.

“You done me a favor, Matt!” The voice seemed to be coming from behind the corner of his house. “I was gonna cut Duffy out of the deal sooner or later anyway.”

At that moment, things got even more complicated.

The front door of the house burst open and there stood Sunshine Macgillicutty, hair still disheveled from sleep.

“What’s going on out here Matt? Matt?”

Dillon cursed to himself. He had no choice but to give his positon away.

“Go in the house Sunshine, sweetie! I’ll be inside in a few!”

As if that had any chance of working. One of the reasons he fiercly loved her was that Sunshine was such an independent spirit. By yelling, he had hoped to focus Case’s attention back on himself.

Too late.

Case whipped around the corner of the house and trained his gun on Sunshine.

“Come on out Matt. We both know it’s over now.”

Dillon sighed. It was over alright, but not in the way Case thought.

He walked out into the open and dropped his gun on the ground.

“Let her alone, Case. This is our feud.”

“Yes it is, Matt. And now the feud is over.”

Case turned his Smith and Wesson and brought it toward’s Dillon, but he never got to draw a bead. The small pop of a Derringer punctured the stillness and Case, wide eyed, fell to his knees. One more pop, and it was over.

Sunshine Macgillicutty slipped the derringer back into her bustle where it would nestle discreetly until the next time it was needed. That free spirit. Wow how he loved that woman.

“You sure must have an interesting past,” Sunshine said as she made her way towards the street to him.

“You have no idea,” Matt Dillon replied…..

RE:
☼ wants to know….Can you write a little story that includes these " T " song titles?
I'm going to go through the alphabet.

Nope. This is not homework…Just some wholesome ,creative FUN on YA.

♥♥ If you can write an amusing love story between Sunshine MacGillicutty and her darling, U.S.Marshal Matt Dillon("Gunsmoke"…. Miss kitty has been ousted, don't you…

Boy, in bed that night we had some Thunder and Lightning.

It’s not the greatest, but hope it makes you chuckle:

U.S.Marshal Matt Dillon was in love; in love with a woman named Sunshine. Never before had a woman captured his heart as she had. He was not of the “one woman man” type like most of the men in Dodge City, he was a rogue, a ramblin’ man, a rolling stone. And yet, He couldn’t help but imagining the two of them together, forever. What was wrong with him? Women came a dime a dozen, especially for him. He didn’t need just one woman…. He’d never needed any woman, until now. “Dillion, old boy” he said to himself, “I think you’re going soft.” But he couldn’t help it…. he couldnt get her out of his mind. He was completely enraptured by just the sight of her, by just the thought of her. Deep within his soul he was longing and yearning to see her again. He tried to get her off his mind, but it was of no use. He couldn’t forget her. “Doc,” he said to his faithful companion, “This just might be THE END OF MY PIRATE DAYS. THERE IS SUNSHINE IN MY SOUL and i think it’s there for good.” Doc grinned and nodded. “Let’s head on down to the Long Branch, Doc” Dillion said. “I’m needin’ a whiskey for my thoughts.”

So the two of them went down to the saloon for a drink. He hopped up onto the barstool in typical Marshall Dillion fashion. “The usual, Kitty” he said to the familiar face behind the bar.

Then suddenly, ironically, as if by some grand cosmic timing of heaven, Sunshine walked into the room. Dillons heart stopped, it heart melted within him. He felt that fluttering in his stomach that all men, no matter how thickskinned and hardened they were, knew was a testimonial to fate: it was love. There was no use denying it anymore, Sunshine MacGillicutty, was his THUNDER AND LIGHTNING.

Doc looked over at him and said, “Face it Dillion, you’re in love with the gal. Git on up outta here, and go to her. TELL THE GOOD NEWS.” So that’s just what he did. Without hesistation, Dillion got up and made his way over to Sunshine. It was if something greater then his own heart compelled him. He wondered what he would say to her? But he had to tell her. He had to tell her of his undying devotion for her, of how much he loved her; How she remained in his thoughts day and night and how He could no longer live without her. Would she reject him? Did she love him back? Suddenly, he was standing right in front of her. Their eyes met. His palms got sweaty, and he felt himself at a loss for words. “Sunshine, ” he stammerd, “TWO LITTLE BIRDS ARE WE… and…. and i just can’t live without you anymore. I dont know how to tell you darlin'” he said,”but, but….. i love you Sunshine,…… and i… can’t gitcha outta my head. I stayed up durn near all nite and i wrote this fer ya.”

Dillion wasnt much of a musician, but could play a little guitar. So he grabbed the acoustic from one of the boys and with THREE CHORDS AND THE TRUTH He penned this little ditty for his darling Sunshine; It goes like this:

She said “I’m going out with my girlfriends for Margheritta’s at the Holiday Inn.” Oh have mercy, my only thought…. was TEQUILLA MAKES HER CLOTHES FALL OFF.

I told her ‘put an extra layer on,’ I know what happens when she drinks whats wrong, her closet’s missing half the things she bought, yeah Tequilla makes her clothes fall off. She’ll start by kicking out of her shoes, lose an earing in her drink, leave her jacket in the bathroom stall, drop a contact down the sink. Them pantyhose ain’t gonna last too long if the DJ puts Bon Jovi on, she might come home in a table cloth, yeah Tequilla makes her clothes fall off. Whao-oh.

She can handle any champaigne brunch, a bridal shower with Bacardi Punch; jello shooters, for lunch Smirnoff, but Tequilla makes her clothes fall off. She’ll start by kicking out of her shoes, lose an earing in her drink, leave her jacket in the bathroom stall, drop a contact down the sink. She dont mean nothin’ she’s just having fun, tomorrow she’ll say, “Oh what have i done?!” Her friends will joke about the stuff she lost, yeah tequilla makes her clothes fall off. Oh tequilla makes her clothes fall off. Ohh Tequilla makes her clothes fall off.”

With that Sunshine sighed, “Oh Dillion” and she kissed him. She kissed him long and hard. And he kissed back. He lifted the brim of his hat and grinned from ear to ear. Then he glanced over at Doc, who was grinning just as wide. “Good ol boy,” Doc said with a nod. Then he glanced over at Kitty and said, “TOOT TOOT TOOTSIE GOODBYE, I’m goin’ on home with my Sunshine.”

******* THE END*******