A Washington Affair Missing Enthusiasm
Sully sat in his cell, still imagining he could feel the touch of Michaela's lips on his, his heart aching that their brief visit might be the last time he ever saw her. Oh, she had sworn to get him out and he knew she meant it when she said she'd give everything she owned to do it, but that was just what scared him. She would go through every penny she had and then some, but when the best the President could offer was life in prison, he did not see any possible way that even someone of Michaela's persistence could get him out.
And he worried about this business with her poking her nose around where folks might not want her to. They had asked him to kill a man in cold blood because he happened to be in their way. What was to stop them from going after Michaela? He paced his cell in frustration, wishing he had been able to talk her into going home, but knowing that no one on earth could talk her out of anything she had her mind set to.
He knew late tonight he would be transferred to a more long term facility and once there, would very well never see her, nor the light of day again. He tried to relax his mind as Cloud Dancing had taught him, but the thoughts continued racing through itt. He couldn't help but think of all of the things that he would miss, not the least of which was his wedding night. He couldn't help but fantasize about what it would have been like to be with her. Her soft hair spread across his chest, her smooth skin under his fingers. Now he'd never get to feel the soft curves of her body, show her the joys they could share together as a married couple. His thoughts turned to the morning after he had rescued her from the dog soldiers, and his relief that she was not hurt beyond the surface cuts and scraps. Even after days of being dragged through the woods, she had looked so beautiful to him. He had wanted so much to be with her then.
And then his thoughts would turn again to the folks in Washington, with Michaela out there poking into their business, trying to find a way to set him free, and him unable to protect her if they thought she was a threat to them. Round and round these thoughts went, until he started to feel as if he might go mad from it.
Somewhere along the line, he must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing he new, the doors to his cell were being wrenched open. They had come to take him to the prison where he would most likely spend the rest of his life. He felt a sudden and strange sense of attachment to the small cell he had been residing in, if only because she knew where it was, because it is the last place he had seen and touched her. He followed along nonetheless. His guards were only doing their jobs after all. There was no point now in making trouble.
As he was lead out of the prison, he felt cool rain on his face and relished it, knowing he may never feel it again. He looked through the drops and saw the carriage that would take him to that dank place he was dreading and was struck by the recognition of the man who had come to transport him. It was General Parker! He had no idea what was going on or what Michaela had arranged, but he figured he had better help in any way he could. He slammed his fist into the guard nearest him and sent him sprawling to the ground. Before he knew it, the General was by his side, knocking out the second guard and shouting to him to jump into the carriage. Sully quickly obeyed and as Parker leapt up beside him Sully could see more guards with guns running out of the prison, but they were already on the move, bouncing off into the rainy night.
"Heyah!He heard a too feminine voice urging the horses on faster and felt his heart jump into his throat. This was too much, even for Michaela. He held on to the carriage in disbelief that she would try a stunt like this and horror that she was now a fugitive too. How could she do something like this? He knew though, that he could do nothing but hang on as the carriage careened around another corner.
"How could you let her do something like this?!He turned angrily to Parker.
"We need your help to figure out what is going on here,Parker said quietly. 展e had an attempt on our lives after our visit to you earlier today."
"And you thought she'd be safer helping with a prison break?! What about the children?Sully was furious that Michaela had been allowed to throw her life away like this.
"The children are on their way back to Colorado,Parker calmly told him.
"And she should be too,Sully stated, though knowing this was not Parker's fault. As he had once told Cloud Dancing, Michaela was a might strong force of nature. Once she had a mind to something, there was no swaying her. Sully sank to the floor of the carriage, trying to figure a way out of this, hoping that perhaps no one had realized who it was that was driving and that perhaps he could find a way to convince her to flee to safety, but knowing in his heart she wouldn't go without him.
After about 20 minutes the carriage slowed to a halt in what looked like a tent city. Parker jumped out and looked cautiously around. Several freemen and women were peaking out from the doors of small shacks. Sully followed him around to the front and found Michaela handing him the reins and Parker promising to return for them that evening.
Michaela reached out a hand and grabbed Sully's tightly in her own as a young woman came out and lead them over to a nearby shack.
"What kin I git ya,lady doctorshe asked in a decidedly Southern accent. She had clearly known they were coming.
Michaela glanced at the shackles still binding Sully's hands. 的s there someone who can get these off?she asked.
"Yes Ma誕m,the young lady replied. 的'll just wake the Smithy,and she disappeared outside of the hut, leaving them alone.
Michaela glanced up at Sully for a moment, trying to gauge his reaction to the sudden prison break. His eyes had followed their young friend to the door, but flew back to her once he seemed sure she was out of earshot. The he rounded on her.
"Are you crazy?! What were you thinkin'? You coulda been shot? If they seen ya, you'll end up in jail or worse!"
"Sully,she began. If we didn't break you out, there was every chance you would have been killed in prison before I ever got the chance to try to get you out any other way. General Parker and I were ambushed on our way home this afternoon."
"So he said, Sully said stonily, furious with himself for having dragged her into this mess. 釘ut that was all the more reason for you to go back to Colorado. You shouldna don't that! You shouldna put yourself in danger."
"I'm sorry, Sully, but it was my choice! They know, Sully. I don't know who it is yet, but they know that we suspect something and they want us all out of the way. If we had left you there, they would have found some way to get rid of you, and quickly."
"What about the children?he asked. He already knew the answer, but was still searching for a way to convince her to go somewhere safe.
"They're safe,she answered. 的 put them on the first train back to Colorado with a letter for Dorothy in case...well, in case we don't make it back."
"Michaela...he said softly now, lifting his chained hands up over her head and sliding them down her back so he could pull her into a hug. 添ou still should'tna tried a stunt like that. You shoulda done like I told 'ya and taken that train back to Colorado yourself."
"Is that what you would have done, had I been the one in prison?she said softly, looking up at him.
"'Course not,he answered.
"Well?she looked up at him, one eyebrow raised.
He merely sighed and tightened his arms around her. Telling her that he should be the one protecting her because he was the man would not go over well he knew, but he couldn't help but feel her small frame in his arms and think that he should be the one protecting her. He'd felt the need to protect her since almost the moment they'd met. She should not be on the run from the law because of him.
And yet, he remembered the time she had been kidnapped by the dog soldiers and the helplessness he had felt, watching them ride away with her. There was no force on earth that could have stopped him from going after her. He knew she loved him and supposed it was only natural for her to feel the same. He pulled away from her a small bit, just enough to make her tilt her face up so he could lean down and press his lips against hers. He relished this kiss, having thought only hours before that despite her determination to get him out and be able to see him, he may never feel the sensation again. He pulled her close and deepened the kiss, savoring her enthusiastic response.
Just then, they heard footsteps approaching and quickly untangled themselves. The young woman had returned with a recently awakened blacksmith and they could see that dawn was just beginning to break.
The man entered the tent and took a look at the chains binding Sully's hands. 泥on't much like breakin' the stated, and paused. 釘ut I suppose don't much like chains neither, and I hear this lady doctor's the reason my grandbaby's cough seems to be improvin'. Come with me,he motioned them outside and towards another small shack, where he quickly went to work.
Later that evening found Sully, Michaela, and General Parker in the records room at the War Department, desperately searching for the information they needed so they could show the President exactly who it was that was seemingly more and more likely to make an attempt on his life. They had just discovered that it was indeed, Senator Stewart, that had signed Sully's orders back in the Civil War.
"That's it then,stated Michaela. 展e have to go tell the President. Right away."
"Don't you think it would be better if we waited until morning?General Parker asked. 展hen there is less security?
" Sully. 的 been thinkin' about what you said. 的 think they could try at any time. They could poison his drink, or send a sniper to take a shot at him. I probably coulda hit 'im from the Treasury Building myself."
"You're right,Michaela stated. 展e should go tonight."
"No. Not, 'we' .Sully quickly said. 哲o point in two of us getting' shot if he doesn't believe me. You go back and hide with our friends. If I don't come back before morning, take the first train back to Colorado. Promise me."
"No,she said simply. 展e stay together."
"Michaela...he looked at her and found that profoundly stubborn look that he had grown to love staring back up at him. 展hat good is it going to do you to get arrested too?"
"I'm going,she stated again. 展e'll have a better chance if there's two of us. If we get stopped trying to get in, maybe one of us can make it through. Besides, I'm the one who knows exactly where the secret passage is."
Sully gave up. They were wasting time arguing and knowing his Dr. Mike, even if he refused to go with her, she would find some way of following along.
Moments later, a plan had been conceived and the pair found themselves once more in back of the General's carriage for the short ride to the White house.
Sully grasped Michaela's hands tightly in his own, 的 love you,he stated simply, trying somehow to show her with those simple words the depth of his feeling for her, his gratefulness for the time they had together so far, his hopes that they would make it through this and go on to enjoy each other for many years to come, and his regret at very possibly not ever getting to fully show her the passion she stirred in him.
"I love you, too,she whispered. 哲o matter what happens, it's my own choice to be here and I have no regrets."
He moved then to squeeze in beside her and hold her close until the carriage's arrival a short time later. He gave her hand one last squeeze and then there was a mad dash through the gardens, to the passageway and into the Whitehouse They followed the sounds of the concert until they were just outside the room.
Michaela looked up and her heart leapt into her throat, 鉄ully...she whispered, and pointed to the man on the roof of the Treasury Building, holding a rifle. This was it. Now or never. They took off at a run, still holding hands, not wanting to break that contact, each knowing they may never have the chance to touch one another again. And then they were bursting through the doors and Sully had launched himself at the President, just seconds before a bullet thudded into the wall where his head had been.
Later that night, the pair sat in the President's office, having finally been able to tell him the full story of the plot to kill him and how they had come to save his life.
"Thank you again, Mr. Sully,the President shook his hand. 的t's very late and I believe your young ones have already been shown to some of our guest rooms. We hope you'll join us for breakfast in the morning."
"Thank you, Mr. President,Sully and Michaela both shook his hand. A maid was waiting nervously in the hallway for them and showed them each to rooms on the second floor. Sully desperately wanted to take Michaela in his arms and kiss her with everything in him, but he had to settle for a small squeeze of her hand and a peck on the cheek before she was lead off to a bedroom of her own.
"Do you need anything else, Ma'am?the maid asked.
"No, thank you,Michaela replied distractedly as the maid swiftly departed for her own bed. Michaela was exhausted, and somehow couldn稚 quite believe that the nightmare of the last week was finally over. Tomorrow they would go home.
She hadn't slept in almost 48 hours, but she still hesitated. Even though the President had issued Sully and herself full pardons earlier that evening, she still could not get the trial out of her head, nor the words of the man issuing the sentence. 添ou will be shot to death by a firing squad at dawn tomorrow.
She knew those words would come to haunt her in her dreams. Every moment when she had nothing else to focus on for the last few days, she heard those words and saw bullets piercing the body of the man she loved, while she stood outside of a locked gate, powerless to stop it.
She tried to take a deep breath and calm herself down and realized that she should have asked the maid to help her out of her corset. Instead, she had to reach around and spent the next 10 minutes struggling with the laces before she could finally breathe again. Standing in her chemise and drawers, she realized that the maid had neglected to leave a nightgown. Not wanting to call and wake someone, she pulled down the covers to climb into the bed in her underclothes when she her a soft knock at the door. She hurriedly looked around for something to cover herself, and finding nothing, opted to pull the top sheet from the bed and draped herself in it.
"Who is it?she called.
"It's me,Sully's voice said softly from the other side.
Michaela quickly unlocked the door, 的s it your head? Do you feel sick to your stomach?she asked, concerned he may have a concussion after all.
"No,he said quietly. 的 just needed to see ya reached to take her hands in his and noted that she seemed to be wearing a bed sheet and her hands were holding it tightly around her. 典hat's an interestin' outfit ya got on,he smirked.
"I wasn't expecting anyone,she stammered.
"Listen,he said gently. 的'm never gonna want you to put yourself in harms way on account o' me, but I am sorry I yelled at ya this mornin', and I do wanna let you know how grateful I am for what ya did. I once told ya you had the heart of a warrior. You truly do."
"You don't understand. I've never been so afraid in my entire life,she whispered. 展hen they said they were going to execute you, I swore I'd do everything in my power to save your life, but I still didn't know if it would be enough and I couldn't bare the thought...派er voice broke then as the tears she had been holding in all week finally began cascading down her cheeks.
Sully took her in his arms then, bed sheet and all, and held her while her tears soaked the front of his shirt. When they finally started to subside, he began slowly rocking them both as he had once before, in a tiny cave, cherishing the feel of her safe in his arms.
"I think I do understand,he said. 展hen those dog soldiers took you, I put everything I had into findin' you, but I the whole time I was trackin' ya', I couldn't help but picture what they might be doin' to ya. I couldn't help but picture what they would do if I didn't get to ya before they decided you were't worth the trouble to take along with 'em anymore...He swallowed, holding her just a bit tighter.
They sat like that for a moment, before he pulled away just enough to tilt her chin up to him and press his lips against hers. She responded hungrily, needing to feel this closeness with him and assure herself that he was real, that he was alive.
There had only been a very few times Sully had felt Michaela truly let go of her inhibitions and kiss him so passionately. Slowly, he leaned her back on the bed and as he did, she reached up to run her fingers through his hair and the sheet fell away. He continued to kiss her, relishing the feel of her lips on his and couldn't help but run his hands along her bare arms and shoulders, loving the feel of her soft skin. He broke the kiss for a moment, only to move his lips along the side of her jawline and now her neck, appreciating her soft side of pleasure as he did.
Michaela was lost in his kisses. She wanted to feel him close to her and never let him go. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew this was not appropriate, that they were not yet married and she should not be alone in her room with him, in her bed with him, no less, but for once she didn't care about propriety. She just needed feel his closeness.
Sully continued to kiss her neck, her shoulders, her cheeks, her mouth. He wrapped one hand around the side of her waist and couldn稚 resist sliding her chemise up just a few inches to feel the wonderfully soft skin on her stomach. Overwhelmed by his love and passion for this woman her ran his hands up her back, reveling in the feel of her and wanting so much to touch every last bit of her. Suddenly his need became almost painful and he abruptly rolled away from her and walked over to the water pitcher and basin on the side table, breathing heavily.
"Sully?Michaela sat up, flushed and slightly confused, feeling almost lost without his touch now. She adjusted the strap of her camisole, which had slipped down over her shoulder.
Sully was splashed some water onto his face and then patted it dry with a towel. 添ou don't know what ya do to me, Michaela,he smiled softly.
Michaela flushed, confused. She couldn't help but picture her mother's horror if she knew. They shouldn't be alone in her room together, much less in kissing in her bed in her current state of undress, but somehow she didn't feel sorry. It felt so good to be with Sully. For the first time, she wondered if that 努ifely duty she'd heard her sisters refer to was really as unpleasant to endure as they made it sound like.
"They want to touch you all over,Claudette had told her once with a rather disgusted look on her face. She was still quite uncertain about the final act, but didn't think that Sully's touch could ever feel anything but wonderful.
"I should go,Sully said, still sounding slightly out of breath and looking rather uncomfortable.
Michaela scooted back to the head of the bed, pulling her now crumpled sheet over her, 鉄tay a few more minutes,she surprised even herself by asking. 笛ust hold me,she said quietly, even now dreading the nightmares she knew would come.
Sully swallowed. It had taken all of his willpower to pull himself away from her. He wanted nothing more than to remove those last thin layers of cotton she wore and be with her in every sense, but if she could commit a prison break in the middle of Washington for him, surely he could control himself enough to sit with her for a few minutes. Perhaps he had the strength of a warrior as well.
He moved to the bed then, sitting gingerly beside her, and took her gently in his arms. She was asleep in minutes and he found he was able to calm down enough to enjoy the simple weight of her in his arms. He marveled as to how he could have gotten so lucky to deserve a woman who was so brave and smart, and beautiful at the same time. He gently stroked her hair until he, too was lulled to sleep.
Sully awoke just as after dawn, gently slid Michaela under the covers and tiptoed to the door. He peaked outside to ensure that no one was in the hallway, and quietly slipped off to his own room, counting the months until their wedding night and wondering if he could find a way to finish the house sooner and convince her to move up their wedding.