Memories of my Heart
Chapter 1
Summary: A present day fic in which Michaela is in a coma. Sully recounts memories of their time together as he is faced with the most difficult decision of his life.
Author's Note: I thought it would be fun to explore Michaela and Sully's relationship through memories as well as through different time periods. Although I'm normally not a fan of present day DQMW fics, I have found a few I've thoroughly enjoyed and thought I would try to write one myself. I will tell you that upcoming chapters do have scenes taking place in 1867. Remember I'm no writer, but I would still love to hear any comments.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or names of characters. Both are property of the creators of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Beth Sullivan, and the CBS network.
"To live in hearts we leave behind, Is not to die"- Thomas Campbell
April 21st, 2010
He glanced over at her and couldn't help but admire her beauty. Her golden brown hair lay sprawled across the stark white surface. He approached her and took her lifeless hand in his. He sat down beside her with her hand in his praying with everything in his heart that today would be the day. Today she would wake from this horrible nightmare that had taken them both. It had been four months. Four long months without her, and it was too much. He honestly didn't know how he did it. How did he will himself to get up everyday to return to this awful place? This place that held his soul mate captive. If only magic was real, he thought. If only I could have just one wish. He knew exactly what that wish would be. He would wish that he could look into those beautiful multi-colored eyes once again. He would wish for his fiancée, his everything, to open her eyes and look at him. He would wish she wasn't in a coma, and he didn't have a terrible decision to make. A decision that loomed over him with every breath he took…
He still remembered the day they met. He would always remember it down to the last detail. He would never forget the day she walked into his life. It changed him forever…
June 4th, 2008
He awoke and turned to look at the flashing red numbers on his nightstand. The numbers blinked back at him reading ten o'clock. It was Saturday, and he really had no reason to force himself to wake up. However, he had been contemplating a day on the beach, and if that was still in the plans he had better get going.
He rolled out of bed and opened the small window in his room to let in the bright sunshine. It was a warm summer day in California, and he couldn't help but smile as he looked out at the bright sky. He glanced down below to see a young woman unloading boxes from her car parked right next to his convertible. Her beauty was so captivating he couldn't explain it exactly. Words simply wouldn't do her justice. He didn't know why, but he felt drawn to her in some way. Suddenly, two other young girls and an older male began to call her name as they approached from the staircase leading up to his apartment building. She turned away from him, her long brown hair falling down her shoulders in soft curls as she moved.
Hope she's movin' it. Could be movin' out I guess, but I definitely think I would remember seeing her around here. Or maybe it's one of the other girls movin' in and she's just helpin' out. Well either way ya spin it, I've got to figure out who that girl is.
He quickly threw on a t-shirt and shorts hoping to offer his help moving and introduce himself. He locked his apartment door and quickly ran down the single flight of stairs leading to the parking lot. He was elated to see that she was once again alone. As he approached her silver Mazda, he noticed she was in the process of lifting one of the few remaining boxes from the trunk.
"Hey, need a hand with that?" he asked.
"Oh," she replied somewhat startled. "Yeah, that would be great."
"Are you movin' in?" he questioned.
"Yeah, actually I am. Why do you ask?" she replied.
"Oh, I live in the building right in front of ya. I saw you movin' stuff in and thought maybe you could use a hand," he answered.
"That was very kind of you. How did you know I wasn't moving out?" she wondered aloud.
"Oh, I knew ya weren't movin' out. If you lived around here, I know I woulda seen you around here before," he said.
"Oh, really huh?" she answered with a smile.
"Yep really. I'm Sully by the way," he stated.
"Michaela. Michaela Quinn."
"Nice to meet you Miss Quinn," he replied trying his best to be charming.
"Dr. Quinn actually," she corrected him.
"Oh, doctor, really? I'm assuming you're a medical doctor and not someone with a PhD in something ridiculous trying ta make me think you're a doctor," he jokingly answered.
"Oh, no," she laughed. "Definitely a medical doctor. My father is a doctor as well, so I guess I followed in his footsteps," she responded.
"Is your father helping ya move in?" he wondered.
"Oh, yeah. He's upstairs in my new place unloading a few things with my sisters Rebecca and Marjorie," she answered.
"Ya ma come up to help ya too?" he questioned.
"Yes of course. I haven't seen her for a while now. She's probably unloading boxes. Moving heavy objects isn't really her forte," she explained.
"Well, not to worry it's definitely a forte of mine," he replied with a smile.
"I didn't say that it wasn't my forte, though," she smiled teasingly.
"Michaela, honestly how long does it take to grab one box and come back up one flight of stairs? Your father could have carried three by now, but you insisted on helping…" a woman shouted towards them from the top of the staircase.
She started to blush and looked down refusing to meet his gaze. "Sorry about her," she mumbled. "I'm definitely my father's daughter," she spoke.
"That's good to hear," he replied with a laugh. "Don't worry, I got this one and you grab that one, so that way you can tell her you took two in one trip. Even if ya only carried one maybe you will get points for being resourceful," he spoke with a smile still gracing his face.
"Oh, I don't know about that, but thank you so much for the help," she genuinely replied.
"No problem." He smiled back at her and motioned in front of him, "Ladies first."
He had to admit that it wasn't entirely a gesture of respect, so much as it was a chance for him to get a better look at her. All of her.
As they approached the staircase, Elizabeth Quinn had her eyes glued to them both. She saw how he was looking at her daughter, and she definitely didn't like it. No, she didn't like it at all. She'd seen the two of them laughing and talking for the last five minutes, and she was not at all happy that her daughter was conversing with this trash. It looked as if he had just rolled out of bed. Who stays in bed until ten o'clock in the morning?, she wondered to herself. And those beads he wore around his neck, he wasn't a girl for crying out loud! Why was he wearing jewelry?
"Oh mother, this is Sully. He lives in the building too, and offered to help us finish moving things in," she elegantly explained.
"It's nice to meet you," he replied. He would have offered his hand, but they were both full at the moment.
"Where exactly in the building do you live?" Elizabeth questioned.
"Actually right across from your daughter," he smiled back at Michaela.
Oh great, so not far at all. This is wonderful. Look at the trash she's living with. I knew this wasn't a good idea, Elizabeth thought.
Sully saw her glancing down at his chest, then back to his eyes with an almost cold stare.
"They're sacred Native American beads," he replied. She wasn't the first to wonder about the colored beads that graced his neck day in and day out. "Cheyenne Indian actually," he explained further.
"Oh, where did you acquire them? Some tourist stand on the beach?" she replied with distain.
"No, actually my ancestors were Native American. They've been passed down in my family for generations. When my son is old enough, I will give them ta him to wear as a reminder of where he came from," he stated.
Michaela was getting uncomfortable with her mother's interrogation. After all, she had only just met him. "Mother we need to take these upstairs, we'll be back shortly," she spoke before ascending the stairs.
"Pleasant, isn't she?" she stated.
"Oh, she was nice. Just all this heat with the movin' is probably getting ta her," he answered.
"That's a nice way of putting it," she laughed. She liked how he seemed to see the glass as half full rather than half empty.
"Father, this is Sully," she spoke as they entered her apartment. "Sully, this is my father Joseph, and my sisters Marjorie and Rebecca are around somewhere…" she explained.
"They're back in the bedroom. Marjorie, Rebecca come out here a minute," Joseph stated as he extended his hand towards Sully. Sully set the box down and shook Joseph's hand.
"Nice to meet you son," Joseph spoke with a smile.
"Likewise, sir," he replied.
"Marjorie and Rebecca this is my neighbor, Sully," Michaela explained as they emerged from the back bedroom.
"Hi," they both replied. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful they both were as well. However, neither was as enchanting as Michaela.
She turned to her father stating, "I've got to grab one more thing from the car, and then I'll be right back." She motioned to Sully to follow her.
"It was great to meet you all. Hope I see ya around again. How long are you staying?" he asked Joseph.
"Oh, for the weekend. We're flying back on Monday. Thanks again for your help son," he spoke in genuine appreciation.
"No, problem. Only wish I coulda been more help. I live right across the hall, so if ya need anymore help don't hesitate to ask," he responded.
"Thanks so much. Have a wonderful afternoon," Joseph answered.
"You too," he replied.
"Sorry about that," she softly spoke.
"About what?" he responded.
"I didn't know they would all be around to meet you. Sorry that was almost like an ambush," she explained.
"Oh, no it was cool. I knew when I offered ta help that your family and friends were probably close by helpin' ya out," he answered.
She grabbed the lamp from the front seat and turned back around to face him. He couldn't help but notice how close together they were now standing. He placed his arm on the car door leaning a little closer to her.
"I'm so glad I came out to meet ya this mornin'. Definitely made my Saturday," he said with a sly smile.
She, in turn, smiled back up at him, "I could certainly say the same."
Much to Michaela's disappointment, he swiftly pushed off of the car standing upright and much further away from her.
"So, I would love ta hang out with you again sometime when boxes aren't involved," he said as he pulled a card from his back pocket. "My number is on the card. Just shoot me a text or call me sometime if ya want to and we can set something up. No pressure though," he stated and winked back at her.
"Okay," she smiled back coyly. "No pressure," she spoke as she turned and walked back towards her apartment.
As he watched her walk away, she turned back and winked in his direction. "Thanks again for you help," she shouted back at him.
"No problem," he replied.
He was glued to his spot on the pavement until she swiftly closed the door behind her. Wow, never had that reaction before, he thought. He had to admit that although it sounded boastful, he had never had trouble with women. In fact, they had always jumped at the chance to spend time with him when he offered. Never before had a woman refused to give him a straight answer. She had left him in the dark. Would she call or not? He didn't like the feeling of not knowing, but at the same time it was intriguing. After all isn't that why she was so attractive? Why he was so drawn to her? Because she was like no one he had met before?
Later that day, Sully slowly climbed the stairs back to his place exhausted and hot from a long day at the beach. He couldn't wait to take a cold shower and order a pizza. As he unlocked his door, he heard the familiar chime of his phone. He anxiously dug it out of his pocket. He didn't recognize the number and quickly opened a message that read, "Hey, so glad to have met you today. Would love to go out sometime. Call me whenever, no pressure. Michaela." His heart beat faster as he read those three simple sentences. No pressure. He had to laugh to himself. Pressure to call her? Hardly. He smiled from ear to ear, and as he walked towards his room his mind immediately started to come up with endless ideas for his first night out with the woman of his dreams.
Hope you enjoyed this story thus far. There are many many more chapters to come. I have big plans for this fic, so stay tuned. :)
