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In the warm saloon in Tombstone, Arizona there was a young blonde playing a round of poker. Much like her father Doc Holliday, Caroline Holliday was her father's daughter. Her hat or rather Doc's hat was tilted to cover the young blonde's face. "Might as well raise the bet to three hundred dollars." She says to the man across the table from herself. She gave a look that would rattle most, as she popped a cigar into her mouth and struck a match to the cigar and began smoking it. Most would call the young woman's actions rather ludicrous and very unladylike. To which the blonde simply did not care.
The blonde was undeniably a carbon copy of the gambler Doc Holliday. Caroline was born two months before the gambler’s death. The air was putrid with cigars and booze. "Why you're just a little Holliday aren't you a little girl?" the man sitting across from her was JJ Ringo sneered. She registered what the man had said before setting down her cards. Her face read no expression. No emotion. Was she fuming? "Well I'm a hustler? Tell it to someone who gives a dang." She says showing her face finally. Some would say she was Doc Holliday reborn but she wouldn't know what to say. She never met him. "Wouldn't anger her, Johnny." A voice from behind her rang out. "What's it to you Wyatt?" Johnny says.
Caroline looked behind her. Low and behold was her godfather and adopted father Wyatt Earp himself. The blond gave a mischievous yet reckless smile. “So what if I am? Why are we cross?” She smirked. “You sure are no blastin daisy Holliday. You are no lady. Heck, not even a saint.” Johnny says as she rolled her eyes earning a chuckle from Wyatt. “She’s certainly her father’s child Johnny.”, he says, walking over to the table. The reek of alcohol stung Caroline’s nose as she didn’t quite exactly care. It wasn’t unusual for the smells to become too much for her and pinched her nose in annoyance. JJ gave her a stare. She took a drink of her beer as she felt his hand on her shoulder. It was a despicable feeling that Caroline felt. “So you’re the dang lunger’s daughter are you?” The younger Ringo asked the younger Holliday. That made Caroline’s blood boil. She stood up and walked to Johnny’s side and gave him an icy stare. An eerily calm was over her. Within a second she whipped her fist around and a thud landed in the younger Ringo’s face. His nose was dripping crimson blood. He whipped around to grab his pistol only to have Caroline in his face. “Touch that pistol I’ll do more than mess up your dang face you dang stinker.” Out of the corner of Caroline’s face she could see a proud smirk on the elder Earp’s face. She felt a swell of pride for defending her father’s honor and legacy.
Before long she remembered an unpleasant memory of her and her mother. It was relatively one of the few memories she had of her mother as she had pushed her mother out of her life after Caroline went to live with Wyatt. "You abandoned me. I want to know what my father was like as you're abandoning me right now. You are breaking a young woman's heart who'd rather learn the truth of her father." Caroline had yelled at her mother. Wyatt was there to witness the entire thing. "You are acting nothing like the woman I want you to be!" Kate had yelled back before drawing back her hand to smack the young girl. But deep down Caroline was right. She wanted nothing but the truth when it came to Doc. Wyatt had stepped in to talk to Kate. Caroline was frozen from her own mother hitting her. For what? Wanting the truth? It angered Caroline more than it did Wyatt.
"Go pack your trunk Lil Doc." He whispered to the girl as Kate looked thoroughly disgusted by the nickname. "You are only encouraging that behavior Wyatt!" Caroline heard as she went to her room and packed. She put most of the outfits that Wyatt had gifted her that were similar to her father's. She stuffed the two pistols of Doc's between some clothing as she had Doc's pistols and only Wyatt had known such a thing. Knowing if Kate had caught wind she would've given the guns to Wyatt. Caroline locked the trunk and grabbed Doc's hat and put it on her head and walked back towards the sitting room to meet up with Wyatt and her mother. Kate was in tears. As Caroline could see right through the facade of her mother. "Caroline Anna forgive me. Forgive me for what I did." She heard her mother. "You chose your way Kate and I have chosen mine. You are not my family.", she said coldly yet calmly. Her mother had a confused look. What had made Caroline this cold? She pondered but that was when Wyatt spoke up. "Apparently she has no kind words for you Kate.
Let's go Caroline." Wyatt says, helping Caroline with her trunk. Caroline looked back at the house she grew up in. Part of her wanted to stay but to be with Wyatt was what she longed for. What she wanted more than to be with her mother. Caroline had packed up everything of Doc's that Kate owned. She was angry at her mother. She was in an unforgivable tone with her mother as she rode off with Wyatt,not looking back at her mother. Caroline shook her head at the memory. It had been twelve years since she saw her mother. She couldn't forgive her mother for what she had said. That night the two had a discussion about Johnny Ringo's son JJ. "I want you to be careful around him. If he's anything like his father he's dangerous." Wyatt explains to her as she nods.
Her mind was wondering about a painting Wyatt had. Her curious nature got the best of her as she finished her bite she decided to ask Wyatt. “Uncle Wyatt can you explain to me about this painting you have?” She asked as a small chuckle came from the Earp. “Don’t you recognize who’s in it?” He asked, smiling slightly. She pulled out her only photo of Doc and compared the two between the photo and the painting. “That's m-my father.” She stammered in awe. “When he was dying he made sure the painting would be in good hands so I took it and wanted to wait until the perfect moment to show you and tell you that your father loved you very much Caroline. He wanted to be there for all your big days, but his tuberculosis was hard on him and was taking its toll.” He explained as she nodded.
“Do you mind if I went to his grave, Uncle Wyatt?” She asked him as he gave her a kind look. “Of course not. You’re free to visit him whenever you like to see him, I won’t stop you Caroline.” He says getting up and hugging her. “Stay safe and don’t get into any gun fights you hear?” He says as he let out a small chuckle as she smiled and went to her horse and rode to her father’s grave. The air was cool but crisp at Doc Holliday's grave. Caroline slowed her horse Star down and gently tied her horse to the tree near Doc's grave. Caroline picked a small wild dandelion near his grave and placed it at the foot of his grave as she then sat down. "Been awhile huh? Been a little while since my birthday. I promised you I'd come visit more Father but I have failed that promise." Caroline explained. The air seemed to shift as she felt what could've been a hand on her shoulder but there was nobody there. "I live my days to make you the proudest man in the world. I know Uncle Wyatt is proud of me. I just want to always make you proud Father." She admits to Doc’s stone, she felt like her father was watching her wherever he was. She hoped he was happy and content wherever he was. The misty and ghostly hand appeared on Caroline’s shoulder again. As she turned to face the hand, what she had seen rattled her to her core. She quickly went to her horse and untied her horse climbing onto her horse's back and rode off heading back to Wyatt's.
What she had seen was Doc's ghost. As she rode to Wyatt's as questions arose. Why did he come to her now? How long had he been watching over her? She soon arrived back at Wyatt's as she pulled Star back into her stall. She took off the saddle from Star’s back as her mind wandered back to Doc’s ghost. If it was Doc, why was she so afraid? But, she had questions for Wyatt as she could remember him talking to someone when she was young but she never knew who.
As she walked in she took off her hat and placed it on the coat rack. "Uncle Wyatt?" She asked as she walked to the sitting room where Wyatt was at. Sparky raised his head to greet the lady. She rubbed the hound's head. She had grown up around the pup as the dog loved her to pieces. "Uncle Wyatt, have you ever had um, had any visits from my father?" She asked rather nervously. "Show yourself Doc!" Wyatt says as Doc appears again. "I'm dead Wyatt, not deaf." As the two men chuckle Caroline looked at the ghostly figure that was her father in wonder.
Caroline reached for Doc’s hand only for it to fall through him. Doc’s expression softened in guilt. “Father, don't be guilty because of poor old me.” She said softly as Wyatt excused himself to leave the two Hollidays alone. Her own face welling with tears as she saw Doc wanting to wipe them away. “Don’t cry darlin, I’m here for you. I always have been, I saw you become the woman you are today.” Doc said, placing his hand on her shoulder. Caroline looked at her father. His brown eyes sparkled in the candle light. Her own brown eyes were misty with tears. He had watched over her? After all these years? She was in awe of the situation now that she knew that it was her father watching over her. She put her hand on her shoulder where Doc’s misty hand was. “I” was all Caroline was able to manage to say. She was in awe of the presence of her father but, why wasn’t he at rest? The younger Holliday asked out of curiosity. "There is unsettled blood between your little friend Johnny Ringo Jr. I shot his father when I was alive. It seems that he wants to get revenge to get back. Darling you are also not you, you have become me." Doc replies as Caroline pulls a cigar from her breast pocket. "Becoming the father I barely knew." She says as she felt a misty hand pull the cigar from her lips. "I do not need you dying young like I did." Doc says as the cigar dropped to the floor causing Sparky to sniff the cigar causing the pup to whine. She was surprised by the action but no longer startled by her father’s appearance. She rubbed her head as Doc began again. “Why aren’t you yourself Darling? Why are you being me?” He questioned as she looked at her feet. She hadn’t considered that question. Why was she acting like him? She looked at him slowly. “I became you because I never got the chance to be around you. Only hearing stories from uncle Wyatt. Mother… After she said some rather choice words about you I decided to come live with uncle Wyatt. I couldn’t forgive her for tarnishing your legacy much to our chagrin.” She admits to him. She had been a mini him for as long as she could remember. It was in her blood to be a miniature him.
Caroline felt close to him when she was acting like him. She let out a sad sigh as she felt Doc’s misty hand on her cheek. “Don’t be sad Darlin.” He said gently as she looked at him. How could she feel anything but sadness with him right there. She didn’t know how to feel around him. It was so different seeing him right in front of her. “I’m your huckleberry.” Doc says to Caroline, his misty hand on her shoulder. She placed her hand over his misty one and saw Doc smile. “I am always with you whether you like it or not Caroline.” He says, causing the younger Holliday to laugh slightly. She felt a swell of happiness knowing that her father had watched over her for so long. A soft smile appeared on Doc’s face as Caroline looked puzzled. “Choplin, did you ever play her any Chopin Wyatt?” The younger Holliday smiled as she remembered fondly Wyatt trying his best to play Chopin’s nineteenth nocturne for the young girl.
It wasn’t the best played version all things considered but Caroline always fell asleep to it nonetheless which immensely helped when the girl was restless. “Don’t worry now Doc, I did my best. She could sleep to just about anything.” Wyatt explained as Caroline gave a wry smile. “Anything?" Doc asked as Caroline spoke up. “Except for a few fist fights that happened downstairs a few times or two.” She says stifling a laugh as Wyatt shook his head. The two Hollidays were near two peas in a pod if he hadn’t known any better. “Almost anything Uncle Wyatt. I once came downstairs to you in the middle of a fist fight.” Caroline defended as Wyatt added to her line. “You had a dang pistol in your hand. Could’ve shot me.” He said as he remembered the time Caroline had one of Doc’s pistols in her hands pointed directly at the man he had fought. It was a rather nasty shock but both men got the gun from the younger Holliday’s hands before it went off. “In my defense he could have hurt you or me Uncle Wyatt.” Caroline defended. “It was a gun Caroline!” Doc and Wyatt say at the same time. This made Caroline just shrug as she yawned slightly. “You should go to bed.” Wyatt says as she looked at her father, she wanted to be there with him. “I will always be here for you Caroline.” Doc says as she half heartedly nodded. “Go to bed Caroline. He’s not going to disappear on you. I promise.” Wyatt adds. “Alright.” she says as she gives Wyatt a kind pat on the shoulder. She turned to look back at Doc who was now looking at Wyatt as the two began talking.
Caroline wanted to linger back and listen in on their conversation but she knew it wasn’t between her, Wyatt and Doc. It was between Wyatt and Doc and them alone. She went to her room and closed the door behind her. Taking off her boots and gun belt she laid them down on the floor by the foot of her bed. As Caroline was preparing to lay down she heard a small whine and she went to the door and opened it to see Sparky. She smiled and scooped up the pup and closed the door. “Hey buddy. Did you miss me or somethin?” She chuckled as she gently put the dog on her bed. The pup looked at her as if to say. “Yes' '' as Caroline layed down her mind wandered to JJ and how he wanted revenge for his dad. She slightly understood but she wasn’t Doc. She let out a small yawn as she stretched out.
The day was surprisingly rather eventful. Meeting her father’s ghost was most surprising as she wasn’t really one to believe in ghosts but as of now she did. Well certain ghosts. Ghosts of her father. The ghosts of the past. She let out a small yawn, she was exhausted. Once in bed Caroline thought about her father and Johnny Ringo’s son. It did make some sense that JJ wanted revenge for her father killing his. Though Caroline wasn’t one for revenge herself. As she woke the next morning, her bedroom door was open and the smell of Wyatt’s cooking. After getting dressed she slips on her boots and walks out towards the kitchen. “Morning Caroline” Wyatt says as Caroline yawns in reply. “Hey Uncle Wyatt.” She says, swiping a piece of hot bacon. “I haven’t even finished cooking yet.” He scolded but it wasn’t a serious scolding, there was a hint of teasing in his voice. Doc was in the corner laughing away. Caroline sat at the table as Wyatt served out the bacon and drink. After she was done eating she got up and put on her hat. “I’m going out on the town. I’ll be back for lunch.” Caroline says as Wyatt nods. “Stay out of trouble.” Wyatt says as Caroline tips her hat towards Doc’s ghost.
As Caroline rode into town she looked around the town to see if there was any trouble, as she rode she spotted JJ Ringo harassing a patron. She got off Star and hitched her to a post before walking over to the younger Ringo. “Knock it off Ringo or I knock you.” Caroline threatens. “Oh feisty. Just how I like ‘em” JJ snarks. Caroline curls her hand into a fist and within a split second she decks JJ right in the nose. There was a loud crack! She had socked him right in the nose. “You! You little snot!” JJ screamed as Caroline dusted off her fist. As if by magic Wyatt had come behind her. “Caroline! What did you do?!” Wyatt questions as JJ scrambled to his feet. His nose was dripping with blood. Meanwhile Doc’s ghost is there just smiling widely. “Doc don’t encourage her” Wyatt says as Caroline takes out a handkerchief and wipes her knuckles. “Just proud of her, Wyatt. Just proud.” Doc says as Caroline gave JJ a cold look. The patron looks back at Caroline and Wyatt. “Was he harassing you ma’am?” Caroline asked as the patron was too taken off guard by Caroline’s punch to JJ to answer. As Caroline went to walk away she felt a hand grab her by the scruff of her neck. Caroline tries to turn her head to see who it is but the person walks the two of them to a corner. When she is let go she turns to see Wyatt again. “Uncle Wyatt, he was harassing her.” Caroline tries to explain. “You sure as heck know that you could have set yourself up a war between yourself and Ringo.” Wyatt scolds. Doc meanwhile is next to them drinking. “Ah lay off Wyatt, she's my daughter after all.” Doc says. “Doc we are not encouraging this!” Wyatt says sternly.