Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. I never have, and probably never will. sigh

Chapter 1

It was already dark when Michaela unsaddled her horse and hiked up the hill to the large two-story homestead. The tall white oak structure with the soft glow emitting through the windows was welcoming sight. This was her safe haven; the place that she could go at the end of the day and know that she can just rest and be herself, and the best part is that she knew her family was waiting on her.

Opening the front door and stepping inside, she was hit with the wonderful smell of pot roast. The smell made her stomach turn. She hadn't realized how hungry she was, but now that she was home she was glad that dinner was already finished. Michaela had barely sat her bag on the side table before she heard the familiar screech, "Mommee!" and felt tiny arms fumble through her skirt and wrap around her leg. Michaela looked down to see two mismatched eyes staring up at her, smiling a toothy grin.

Eleanor Anne Sully was two years old and every bit the spitting image of her father- right down to the soft curly brown hair that bounced around her shoulders- with one exception, she had her mother's eyes. She blushed slightly under her mother's gaze and squeezed her leg a little tighter. "Hi."

Michaela laughed as she pulled her youngest daughter into her arms, encompassing her small child in the subtle smell of powder and perfume that had come to mean security to her. "Hello, my Nell." Michaela whispered, planting a kiss on the little girl's cheek. Nell immediately wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and her small hand instantly gravitated to the hair at the base of her neck that was beginning to pull out of the bun she wore. "Where's Daddy and Katie?"

"Daddy in there." The little girl swung her arm out and pointed toward the kitchen.

Michaela meandered into the kitchen and saw Sully standing with his back to her, cleaning off the last of the plates left over from dinner.

"Did Daddy make a good supper?" Michaela asked both showering attention to the little one in her arms and letting Sully know she was home. When she finally reached him, Michaela reached out and placed her hand on his back, allowing it to slide up his back before resting on his shoulder. Finishing the last plate down, Sully turned toward the gentle touch and, smiling, wrapped one arm around his wife's waist.

"Good evenin'."

"I missed you." She managed to whisper before he claimed her lips in a wonderful welcome home kiss. Nell pressed a chubby little hand to her mouth in an effort to control her giggles. As Sully pulled away he saw the little gesture made by his daughter, and he couldn't resist teasing her.

"What are ya gigglin' at Miss Nellie?" He reached out and tickled his daughter on the tummy eliciting squeals of joy as she squirmed in her mother's arms.

"Daddee!" Upon hearing her name for him, Sully laughed himself, but pulled his arm back. Nellie rather out of breath tucked her head into her mother's neck and looked at him around the curve of her throat. Michaela laughed too as she cupped the little girl's head with her hand and smoothed her hair. No doubt a soothing gesture.

There was a special bond between Michaela and her young daughter; one that was difficult to describe unless witnessed firsthand. Part of it had to do with the fact that in her first few years of life, little Eleanor had been rather sickly. Nothing ever too serious, but the little girl had spent many an hour being comforted by her mother's words and touches. It had gotten so that by the time she was six months old, she never wanted anyone else if she was feeling too poorly. The other part of it was the fact that as the little girl grew up she seemed to be mesmerized by the graceful woman who lived with her. There was something special about the way her mommy moved, talked, laughed, and even smelled that held her in awe, but she could never place exactly what it was. The one thing she knew for certain was that her little heart beat a little faster every time Mommy held her. Mommy could do everything and Nellie wanted to be just like that one day.

Sully reached out and stroked his wife's cheek. "Ya must be hungry. I left somethin' heatin' for ya." Sully took a covered plate from the warming box over the stove and sat it at the kitchen table. Michaela shifted Nell to her knee so she could sit comfortably and began to pick at her food. "Was your day really busy?" Sully asked, setting a glass of tea in front of her and sitting at the end of the table.

"Not really, but Robert E cut himself at the forge and needed sutures. They were in a difficult position; it was rather tedious." She took a bite of a roasted potato and closed her eyes. She waited until she swallowed before she said anything. "Thank you for doing supper."

"I didn't mind. I got finished with the last of all of that paperwork this afternoon." Sully said sitting back in his chair with a slight sigh. He was sitting commissioner for Colorado Springs, and although he enjoyed his job, he hated the paperwork that came along with the position. "It's pointless, just more things to keep me away from doin' my real job." He would tell Michaela on the nights that he felt most inundated by this burden.

"Oh, I'm so glad. You won't have to worry about it again for a few more months." Sully smiled, thankful at her attempt to show him the optimistic side of things. Sully was not a pessimist by nature, but he was something of an idealist. They both were; it was this characteristic, shared between the two, that seemed to do them the most damage, but it also seemed to give them the most hope. It was his sense of hope and ideals that Sully focused on everyday to do his job. However, on some occasions the frustration of being incapable of accomplishing what he wanted took more of his attention. In moments like these he knew that not only would Michaela understand, but she also would be able to give him the gentle nudge to help him refocus.

Michaela shifted Nell who had been sitting contently playing with her mother's engagement ring.

"Here, Nellie come over here, so Momma can eat." Sully reached out and pulled the little one to him. Michaela, now uninhibited, took another bite of her dinner.



Suddenly the three sitting at the little table heard a loud thump from above their heads and all of them looked up as if they could see through the ceiling to what was happening above them. Small footsteps could be heard walking toward the stairs and then slowly crawling down one at a time. When the sound got to the part of the stairs that looked into the kitchen, they stopped.

"Momma, you're home!" Katie was crouching with her head between the railings of the banister. Her smile seemed to stretch from ear to ear as she hurried her four-year-old legs to descend the stairs as fast as possible. As soon as she hit the bottom of the stairs, she came galloping into the room, her blonde hair trailing behind her.

As much as Nell looked like her father, Katie favored her mother to the same extent. Her dirty blonde hair was only a few shades lighter than Michaela's and she had the same bright smile, but if you were to ask Michaela about the most beautiful feature her daughter possessed, she would have answered that it was her piercing blue eyes. There was something so honest and exciting about those eyes.

It was true; Katie seemed to find an adventure in almost anything. Her energy was uncontainable, and Michaela didn't even try. She loved that her daughter saw so much mystery in the world around her, and thought that her daughter's childlike fascination of the world was so refreshing. This was another part of Sully, Michaela could pick out so distinctly in their daughter; she loved to be outside, to hear the birds sing and play with wolf. It was a special day when the little girl was allowed to ride on the horse with her father and he would take her out to different places around the homestead, telling her stories and showing her flowers and animals. Michaela was even very attentive that at least once a month, the four of them would spend an afternoon by the creek, eating lunch and fishing, whatever the girls decided they wanted to do for the day.

Katie ran up and stood beside her momma, smiling sweetly over to Sully.

"What were you doing upstairs, Katie?" Michaela asked her, wrapping an arm around the little girl's shoulder.

"I was playing with one of my dollies." Katie leaned into her mother's embrace allowing all of her weight to flow to one side. She watched as Michaela lifted a drink to her lips. "What are you drinking, Momma?"

"A little tea, would you like some." Katie nodded shyly.

Michaela leaned over and held the glass to the little girl's lips holding her other hand under Katie's chins so as to catch any drips. She slowly tilted the glass until the child took a few sips. "All better?"

"Yes, ma'am." Katie wiped her mouth with her sleeve before Michaela could reach out and catch her.

"Not with your sleeve! Wipe your mouth with a napkin sweetheart." Nellie started giggling and Sully tried to stifle his own grin. "And what precisely are you two laughing at?" Michaela teased at them.

Sully changed the subject, "did you see Matthew today?"

"No I didn't get the chance to, but I know he made it back from Denver alright. Oh! That reminds me. I got a letter from Colleen today. Katie, sweetie will you get it for me? It's in my bag." The little girl flounced off and came back with the little white envelope. Michaela pushed her plate away from her and allowed her daughter to crawl into her lap.

Katie handed her the envelope before asking, "What does she say?"

"Well," Michaela unfolded the paper. "She says that school is going alright, and Andrew is doing quite well at the hospital he's working at, and that she missed getting to read to you every night, but she found a new book and was keeping it for the next time we see her."

"When will that be?" Michaela allowed her eyes drift to Sully.

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps we can plan a trip to Philadelphia sometime this summer?" Sully nodded briefly. They had already talked about this, and although there were no plans in place yet, they were fairly certain that they would be taking a trip to Boston sometime soon and Philadelphia would be a nice little side trip.

Katie stared wide eyed across the table to Nellie, who was returning the same gaze. The two girls shared an excited smile and Nellie swung her legs wildly.

"I think it's time for two little girls to be in bed." Sully said bouncing his knee. His attempt to draw his daughter's attention away from the possible trip was not in vain. In an instant, Nellie's arms shot out across the table.

"You read our story, Mommy?"

"I don't see why not."

"Yay!" Katie stepped away from her mother's side in order to do a little dance, before coming to rest at Sully's knee. Placing both her hands on his thigh she leaned in to him. "She does funny voices, Poppy!" She whispered as if this was a grand secret.

"She does?" Sully feigned unbelief at this, although he had spent many a nights listening to Michaela read to their girls. Nell gave a nod of conformation, her hair falling into her face.

Michaela turned from laying her plate on top of the other dishes Sully had been working on when she had come home, and took the moment to enjoy the scene before her. Everything was so peaceful, so perfect, that sometime Michaela felt it all to be too good to be true. She wondered if she were dreaming. Long ago had she given up the hope that she would ever married, and then after her and Sully did wed it had taken her so long to get pregnant, but now she was privy to sweet little moments like this one; her two young daughters gathered around their "poppy" telling him secrets and sharing in his laughter.

"Alright, it's time for bed. Kiss Poppy good night."

The oil lamp sitting on top of the mantle illuminated the little bedroom with a calming glow. Michaela pulled the covers back on the small bed as she watched Katie out of the corner of her eye and tried not to laugh. After struggling for a little bit, Katie finally gave up and wandered over to where she guessed her momma was still standing. Her arms were spread up and out from where she had managed to get them halfway through the arm hole, but her head was stuck.

"Momma help, please." Her voice was muffled through the cotton garment.

"Katie? Katie! Are you in there?" Michaela called feeling around and patting to form of her daughter. "I can't see you. Oh there you are!" Her fingers nimbly undid the buttons and pulled the garment over the little girl's head, adjusting the sleeves as well. "All better?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Alright Katie goes in bed. Have you chosen a book yet Nellie?" She directed her attention over to the two year old that was gazing at the bookshelf. To Nell, getting to pick the story for the night was quite a task indeed and not one that she was going to take lightly. She tilted her head, staring attentively at a book before she reached out with her little hand and pulled it from the shelf. Turning to face Michaela, her face was beaming as she held the book out proudly.

"Bring it here, Nell." As the little girl toddled toward her, Michaela scooped her up and laid her on the bed next to where she had just tucked Katie in. "Let's see, what did you get? Oh, 'Buttermilk'."

"Good job, Nellie. That's my favorite." Katie rolled over and patted her sister on the cheek.

"Tank, ew." Nell smiled at her sister's approval as she curled up on her side, wrapping and arm around Katie, who returned the action, and made room for their mother on the bed also.

"Alright," Michaela sighed holding the book between the two little girls. She opened to page one.

During the time that Michaela was putting the girls to bed upstairs, Sully was finishing cleaning the kitchen. He had dumped the scraps and washed the dishes and secured the house for the night. Standing at the bottom of the stairs, he did one final scan before retreating to their bedroom for the night. He stopped briefly in the hallway and watched as Michaela moved an already sleeping Nellie from Katie's bed to her crib that sat against the wall. She stooped to make sure each child was covered and warm and had their stuffed animals for the night before turning the lamp as low as it would go and stepping out of the room. She cracked the door behind her.

Michaela smiled when she looked up to see Sully waiting on her at the end of the hallway. Walking toward him, she wrapped her arms around his waist and accepted an even deeper kiss than earlier.

"Mmm, I really missed you."

"I can see that." Sully pulled her even closer to him, sneaking an arm up her back. She took a deep breath, inhaling the leathery smell on his skin before tucking her head into the curve of his neck.

"It was a long day. I don't like not getting to see you." She whispered.

"I know, but that's over for a little while at least." He answered leading her into their bedroom. As Sully lit a lamp, Michaela walked over to her sewing basket that was sitting next to the rocking chair. She had so much darning she had to get done and it would really help if she could manage to do some tonight, but as she bent down to pick up the basket, she stifled a yawn.

Sully reached out and stroked her arm through her dress sleeve. "Why don't ya leave that be for now. It ain't gotta be done tonight."

"It will need to be done soon if you expect your daughter to own a dress that doesn't have a hole in it." Michaela laughed as she set the basket on the bed and bent over to pull her shoes off.

"Maybe it'll be good for Katie to wear a few dresses with holes in 'em. I bet she'll be more careful next time." Michaela laughed even harder as she pulled her stockings off her feet before standing up to look him in the eye.

"Look who's talking. Byron Sully, you have just as many shirts in that basket as your daughter has dresses." He joined in her laughter.

"Ok, so maybe it'll teach us both a lesson." Michaela flashed him one of her crooked smiles before retreating behind the screen to change into her nightgown. "All I'm sayin' is that tomorrow's gonna be a busy day, an' we're gonna hafta be at the train station early. Ya might want to get a good night's sleep."

Michaela stifled another yawn as she emerged from the screen. Sully was already stretched out on the bed, letting his tired body relax into the feather tick. He looked so comfortable. Perhaps he was right. Maybe the sewing could wait for another night. Worse comes to worse, she would always have Saturday.

"All right," she smiled over at him " you persuaded me." She removed the basket from her side of the bed and climbed in herself. Sully turned to his side and wrapped his arm around her.

"Seems that I've been livin' with you too long." He teased giving her a tight squeeze.

"Yes, yes it does." She leaned over and gave him a peck on the lips before she turned the lamp down. Snuggling down into her husband's warm embrace, Michaela Quinn drifted off to sleep.

THanks for reading! Let me know what you think.