What can I do?

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in Dr Quinn Medicine Woman. The rights to those characters and the show belong to the creators not me. This is just a story for fun.

The clock ticked in the background; occasionally the wheels of a wagon would make a noise as it went past the window breaking the silence of the clinic. The late afternoon sun streamed through the windows and the lace curtains. Michaela sat at her wooden desk staring into space. She had been like this for a while, she was having a slow day and the ticking of the clock was beginning to make her feel irritable and penned in.

It wasn't just the slow day that was making her feel like this. Sully had been gone for weeks and she had barely heard a thing from him. He told her that he would wire regularly but day after day she waited in vain. The last wire she received was 4 days ago, it merely said that he was well and would be home soon! There was no time limit of how long he would be gone still or when he would be home.

Sighing Michaela rested her chin in her hand. She re-read the wire again hoping the slip of paper would tell her more than the words that were actually written there. But they didn't! Anger bubbled up within her. How could he be so vague?! He just seemed to go off with a moment's notice, with no regard for his wife and children. And what for?! Sheer stubbornness, all because he refused to let her help with paying for their summer trip to Boston to visit her mother and sisters. Elizabeth had offered to pay for them all to visit but Sully refused saying that he would work and earn the money to pay for their tickets. He wouldn't even let her contribute!

Rolling up the piece of paper she threw it across the room in frustration. She got up from her seat and decided to meet the children from school and go home and spend some time with them. The only thing she didn't want to do was spend another lonely night in her bed without her husband!


After locking up the homestead Michaela closed her bedroom door behind her. She leaned against the wood and scanned her room. She noticed a fresh pile of washing, mainly Sully's shirts and a pair of his buckskins. She looked and the bed and rolled her eyes and headed for her vanity.

Feeling lonely she picked up one of Sully's shirts resting on the side. Instead of putting on her usual night gown she pulled Sully's shirt over her head. She then crawled into bed pulling Sully's pillow closer to her where she could still smell the faint scent of him.

Michaela awoke with a start. She thought she heard something downstairs, she lay and listened for a while but heard nothing. It could have been the wind she reasoned but somehow she felt restless. She pulled on her slippers and robe and made her way downstairs.

It was dark downstairs and all she could see were silhouettes of furniture that were in the room. The creaking of the steps put her on edge and her senses were heightened. Stepping into the kitchen she looked through the window and couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Then she heard the door handle move, spinning on the spot her heart hammering against her ribcage. She grasped at something so she might defend herself!

Sully opened the door to the Homestead. The sight that greeted him was Michaela stood in her robe her back pressed against the counter.

"Sully!" Michaela yelled in annoyance lowering her weapon.

"Michaela, what are you doing?" He dumped his bag on the floor next to the door and petted Wolf who had been quietly led on the rug in front of the fireplace.

"You scared me half to death! What are you doing is the more apt question here?" She threw her hands in the air before lighting a lamp on the nearby table.

Now there was light in the room Sully could see that Michaela was white as a sheet through fear. He felt bad for scaring her like that but how was he to know that she would be up at this hour. He could tell that she was upset the look she was sending him screamed her disapproval.

"I came home, I know I should have sent you a wire but I was anxious to get home. I finished my work and have the money to pay for our tickets to Boston in the summer,"

Michaela folded her arms across her chest still annoyed but part of her just wanted to run to him.

Seeing Michaela wasn't going to soften anytime soon he went to the sink and washed his face and hands to getting rid of the dirt and grime of his trip. Turning he studied Michaela; she was staring at the door that he had just came through.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"Sully you have been gone for weeks, I have received all of four wires from you. None of which told me when you were coming home. The children have missed you and..." tears slipped down her cheeks.

Sully closed the distance between them placing his hands on her arms. "Michaela, I'm sorry I didn't wire more. I was so focused on finishing the job so that I could get home to you and the kids," She stood before him her head hung low not looking at him in the eye.

"Please Michaela! I'm sorry truly I am. I never want to hurt your feelings. I missed you so much. The nights were unbearable without you beside me,"

She looked up tears blurring her vision. She felt foolish for crying but she couldn't help it, her emotions had a mind of their own. "If you would have accepted my help you wouldn't have had to go away in the first place. It feels that sometimes you wish your life was as simple, as it was before we married. It concerns me Sully,"

"I wanted to do this for us, to give you something. You have given me so much, you have given me a family, a home, a place to belong but most of all you gave me your love!...I don't ever want a life without you or our children. I need to go off by myself from time to time but that doesn't mean I love you any less." He wiped at the tears on her face. They stood in silence for a while.

"Did you miss me?" He asked see that she was beginning to give in to him.

"How could you ask that?! Of course I did!" Her brow creasing.

"Well you didn't say. You said the kids missed me but nothing about yourself," He gave her a smile.

"I missed you so much," She smiled back at him. He pulled her closer as she wrapped her arms around his neck bringing her body flush to his.

They stood in the kitchen in this embrace for a while. Neither wanting to let go just yet. "We should go to bed it's getting late," Michaela mumbled into his shoulder.

They released their hold and made their way up the stairs hand in hand. They stopped at Katie's bedroom before they made their way to their own. As soon as they were in bed Sully wrapped Michaela into his arms.

"I like how my shirt looks on you by the way," He grinned as he whispered in her ear.

Michaela's cheeks stained with colour. Tilting her head she turned to look at him in the eye. Gazes locked as they moved in to kiss. Bodies moved in an easier position to be close to each other.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?" Sully rasped.

"I would say so. But you have to do something for me," She kissed him lightly drawing him in so that he was powerless to resist her.

Swallowing hard he asked "What do I have to do?"

Michaela adjusted herself so she lay comfortably under him. Sully supported himself easily above her.

Trailing her hand down his broad chest she traced his muscles. Sully placed his hand on her thigh easing his hand painfully slow up her thigh to her hip under the shirt that she was wearing. Their movements were slow and sensual. Hearts pounded and breathing becoming shallow.

Kissing her neck, Michaela arched her back and let her head fall back on the pillows behind. Moving his way down her chest to the buttons of the shirt. He popped the buttons through their eyelids revealing more of her creamy soft kissable skin.

Deciding to tease her a little Sully raised his head to look her in the eye. "What did you want me to do for you?"

Her body screamed at the lack of contact. All she wanted was for him to continue with his task. Taking a breath she replied "Love me!"

Grinning at her he replied "Gladly," he continued his previous task of kissing her senseless.

The End