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Sully lifted Michaela into the air and spun her around as the wind played with her skirts and hair. Her shriek of protest, followed by giggles brought music to his ears. He truly felt as if he had his heart song back, finally. They'd been through so much in the past months it was a wonder she was with him at all.
The Reverend had proposed marriage to her, she'd been jailed for spying, the KKK had disturbed things in town and finally the dog soldiers had taken her away from him. Having her taken from him had been more than he could bear. Sully couldn't sleep and he had to force himself to eat while he searched every mountain till he found her. Now that she was back in his arms again, he didn't want to ever let go no matter what.
"Sully, put me down!" Michaela shrieked, beginning to feel dizzy from all the spinning.
"And why should I?" Sully asked playfully, wanting to see how long he could get away with spinning her around in his arms before he had to let go.
"Don't be stubborn," She hollered back hoping he'd comply with her wishes.
"Old habit," came the reply before he gracefully set her back on the ground again.
Michaela nearly fell out of Sully's embrace when her feet touched the ground and she actually lost her footing for a moment.
"Careful there," Sully called out as she stumbled on her own feet. His words came too late as Michaela fell into a heap on the ground.
"You're looking rather pleased with yourself," Michaela said as she looked at Sully with loving eyes.
"Told ya ta be careful. Look's though as ya didn't and now ya're the stubborn one." Sully replied with a flirtatious grin, which Michaela tried to slap. This happened to look more like she was waving her hand in the air than slapping anything. "Nice try," Sully interjected before he and Michaela collapsed in a fit of giggles.
Sully sank down on the ground beside Michaela and stared over at her appearance, which was a little disheveled. Her once perfectly done hair was beginning to come undone, combs and all, and her dress was a little wrinkled. He was reminded of the time they went out to Harding's Mill to gather water samples, and Michaela's appearance after a few days. When her hair became messy, Sully remembered how she tried to remove the pins with her broken wrist, before he knelt carefully behind her to remove them himself and brush her long hair. No matter how she looked disheveled or proper, she was beautiful in Sully's eyes.
Michaela turned to Sully, watching the flirtatious smirk turn into one of longing desire. The blue depths of his eyes communicated a love that stirred feelings she was afraid of. She had never experienced anything like this before and even though it was a bit frightening, Michaela soon found herself lost in the blue unknown.
Sully lifted his hand to caress the side of Michaela's cheek, letting it fall the length of her face, then down into her long tresses. They were as soft then as they were when he pulled the combs from her hair and laid a gentle brush to it. "Sully," Michaela breathed as she looked into his eyes with a desire to have the distance between them diminish.
Ever since he'd first touched her hair, she hadn't forgotten how intoxicating his touch could be. It still frightened her to think how much she wanted to have his hands running through her hair, and now all she could think of was his lips over hers.
Sully looked deep into Michaela's eyes as she stared at him with a desire he knew would be followed with the sweetest of kisses. The moment their lips met, it was as if fate had planned it all perfectly, falling right into place.
Michaela's mind swirled with thoughts of the first time their lips met in a kiss; how feather light Sully's lips had been on hers. She'd never felt a kiss like that before, one that made her slowly open her heart to the handsome mountain man.
Sully pulled away from the kiss moments later while taking another opportunity to stare into Michaela's eyes. She returned his gaze with a loving smile and a tilted head.
"Ya did good, I'm proud of ya," Sully remarked to Michaela after they returned home to an empty homestead.
"Thanks," Michaela replied pleased that he was proud of her. Sully hadn't seemed too supportive of her decision to run when she'd first entered the race for mayor. Yet he'd pulled through by gaining her more votes from all the women in town. She'd been leery to accept his trust, but deep down he was a man of his word as Charlotte had told her so long ago.
"W'lcome," Sully replied before taking her into the comfort of his arms.
Michaela stared down at the table as it lay strewn with all the sheets she'd used during her campaign, "Win with Dr. Quinn", Prescription for Change", along with Brian's wooden sign board. She hadn't realized how much the town wanted her in such a high position, yet a part of her was grateful she didn't have that responsibility.
"What are we going to do with all these?" Michaela asked, breaking away from Sully and lifting up some of the white sheets with painted red letters across them.
"Save 'em in a hope chest," Sully replied jokingly with a smile.
Michaela laughed and turned to Sully with a glimmer in her eye, "I don't think a husband would be too impressed with the painted bed sheets, but thanks for the idea."
Sully smiled over at Michaela, as she turned to fold up the sheets that lay strewn across the table. She hadn't gotten far when she felt a gentle hand on her back. "Why don't ya leave that for now."
"But these things need put away," Michaela protested already set in her task not wanting to be interrupted.
"They'll be there when we get back," Sully replied without hesitation as if he already had something planned.
"Back?" Michaela asked, "Are you planning to whisk me off somewhere?"
"And if I was?" Sully challenged.
Michaela turned to face Sully staring into the depths of his blue eyes, nearly losing herself in them. There was no point in arguing further now, least not with the way he was looking at her with such love in his eyes.
"Oh, alright," Michaela replied finding it useless to fight anymore, the blue eyes having won the battle.
Sully grinned with satisfaction, knowing that he was going to be spending uninterrupted time with his heart song and that he would have her undivided attention.
The afternoon sun shone down in patches around the homestead, making the blue sky above and all around seem more beautiful. Flash was nibbling at some grass outside the barn as Sully led Michaela towards her.
He called over to Flash who decided to ignore him until Michaela spoke, causing Flash to forget about the grass she'd just been nibbling.
The horse trotted over to Michaela eagerly awaiting a possible treat, but for the time being received a loving pat. "There now, see it wasn't that hard," said Michaela with a gleam in her eyes, which Sully returned with one of his own.
"What'd ya say we go for a ride?" Sully asked clearly wanting to get her away from the homestead if he could.
Michaela looked into Flash's eyes, and then up at the sky before her eyes rested on Sully, "It'll be dark soon, maybe we should just…."
Sully didn't give Michaela much chance to reply as his lips met hers in a sweet loving kiss. His eyes still held love within them as he pulled away.
Michaela was a bit taken aback for a moment; it had taken her some getting used to, Sully wanting to kiss her so much. When they had started courting their ideas seemed to be different, she wanted to talk where as Sully wanted to touch. Michaela had slowly over time begun to accept more of Sully's affection.
Michaela remembered back to the time after she had just returned from Boston. Things had seemed a bit awkward for her the moment she was left alone with Sully. His eyes seem to bore into her with a passion that near frightened her. Later on she found out that Sully enjoyed the kissing part of courting, where as she thought it was about talking and bringing each other things.
Their courtship had gotten off to a rocky start as they didn't always see things eye to eye. It had taken the words of Grace and words that could have driven them apart to make her realize how much she loved and needed him in her life.
Michaela would never forget Sully showing her his special place, which he had never even shown Abigail. From there on their bond only deepened.
"I'll race ya," Michaela smiled over at Sully with a mischievous look in her eyes.
"You're on," Sully replied knowing full well what he was in for. Michaela was one with Flash when she was on the saddle and could outrun Sully any day. He didn't seem to mind at all racing with Michaela as she being the love of his life she could win any day.
Michaela finished saddling Flash before mounting and took off prior to Sully even mounting his horse. w
Sully watched as Michaela's hair trailed behind her in the wind, Flash carrying her a good distance away from the homestead. He loved the smiles she gave when ridding and the laughter like a young girl wanting so badly to win.
Michaela let Flash carry her down the path towards town as her hair blew behind her. She loved the feel of the breeze on her face and the sound of Flash's hooves as they touched the ground. The last time she'd felt this way was when she'd raced Flash dressed as a man.
Flash was in her glory the whole race and Michaela had been so proud of her for winning. Yet her win was shattered when they found out there was a lady underneath the man's clothes. Even so they had their victory.
Sully raced after Michaela minutes later once he had saddled up. He couldn't let her get too far ahead of him to where he might not be able to see her hair blowing in the breeze.
The sun poured through the curtains as Jake leaned back in his chair basking still in his victory. He'd beaten Dr. Mike out for the office of mayor, but not without a fight from her and a bunch of women.
Jake still couldn't believe all the women in town coming across the bridge and voting as if they had every right.
Sully had given them that right, but they didn't have it fully. A sinking feeling crept over Jake, he promised Dorothy and Dr. Mike that he'd see to it that women got the right to vote if he won.
Jake wasn't too thrilled with the prospect, as he wanted things to stay just they way they were. Although he knew if he didn't, Dr. Mike would run all over him with shouts and threats, she'd done it before.
He got up a moment later, going over to the window to look outside.
Everything looked so peaceful as the sun shone down in spots along the empty streets before anyone had awakened and made their way outside.
Jake stood there thinking for a moment about the celebrating he had done at Hank's the night before. Drinks, gambling, and women had filled his evening to a point where it was all a blur.
Hank and Loren kept serving him drinks along with the occasional whore coming to snuggle up. He vaguely remembered Myra coming over at one point saying something to Loren and Hank before she disappeared.
Jake wasn't too sure what happened after that or who brought him back to his shop where he woke up this morning. His head had hurt something fierce right when he awoke but as the hours passed the pain seemed to subside.
Jake moved away from the window and went over to his chair; he didn't feel like opening up quite yet. He settled himself down with another swig from his bottle. As the cool liquid poured down his throat, there was a knock at the door.
Jake nearly choked on what he was drinking as his feet feel right to the floor and the bottle nearly slipping from his fingers.
"Dammit, he cursed under his breath, "who in tarnation is out this early," he mumbled to himself as he got up and made his way to the door.
Jake opened up the curtains first to find Myra standing there still looking as pretty as she had the night before. He smiled to himself before reaching for his key hanging on the door frame.
"Mornin' Jake," Myra greeted as she slipped through the opening in the door once Jake unlocked it. "…hope you don't mind me coming by. Just wanted to see how ya was."
"I'm doing just fine," Jake answered a bit puzzled as to why he was getting a house call.
Myra smiled meekly, was he fine? Surely after a night of drinking and being entertained one would be dead to the world, but not Jake. She looked down at the floor for a moment before looking back up and continuing.
"Do you remember much about last night?" Myra asked with concern in her eyes.
Jake looked at Myra puzzled by her answer, wondering to himself why she was asking him this question. "Sure I remember last night, I was at Hank's," Jake replied as if he was sure of himself and confident he could answer any of her questions.
"I know you were Jake, but there were things that happened there that I'm not sure you remember."
"Like what? I had a few drinks, enjoyed the company of you ladies…what more is there?" Jake asked. The tone of his voice was more demanding this time as if his actions from the night before didn't matter.
Hank with Loren's encouragement kept serving ya drinks and a friend of mine was close by keeping you happy," Myra replied before continuing on, "but the thing is those drinks added up and soon you started spouting off things that had everyone looking at you funny. Cindy got all embarrassed as everyone turned to look right at you. Hank and Loren got a bit uncomfortable till I came along and got ya outta there."
"Embarrassed? Why seemed to me she was having a good ole time."
Myra looked at Jake with a hard cold stare; did he have any idea of the things he'd said? Sure she loved the idea of being able to vote but to announce that in a bar didn't seem to be such a good idea. The men didn't take well to the announcement and poor Cindy knew she had to get him out of there before he was beat. "She was until you revealed things about your campaign," Myra blurted out hoping to shut Jake up for the moment. She wasn't expecting him to back up and sink down in his barber's chair.
Jake's face paled at the realization of what he'd said and done. He began to think of a million things that could have gotten him into trouble but only one stuck out in his mind, giving women the right to vote. Men weren't going to care for that, least not those visiting a bar.
Myra wanted to ask again if he was alright yet the look on his face told all. She watched the realization creep over him as he sunk into the barbers' chair.
Jake looked up at Myra, swallowing hard not sure of what to say at the moment. The whole thing seemed rather embarrassing as he sat there in the uncomfortable silence.
Myra stared at Jake's pale face wanting to say something but knowing it was best to remain quiet. He was clearly upset and a part of her didn't want to disturb that.
Michaela rode Flash like the wind right to the outskirts of town before rearing the horse to a halt.
Flash danced in place for a moment, gaining her footing back from the run she'd had all the way from the homestead.
Michaela's cheeks were flushed, her hair blown in all directions from the breeze as she looked around for Sully. She didn't seem him anywhere at first, realizing that she must have out run him by more than she thought.
Sully let the hooves of his horse thunder beneath the ground as he rode hard to catch up with Michaela. She had proven to him that with Flash she could beat him without much effort and now she had really left him in her dust.
He hated the fact that she was out of his site even for a second after all they'd been through, but he was reminded of the strong person she was.
Sully remembered back to when Michaela had tried to prove she could be just like him as they journeyed to find water samples. She had brought so much junk with her that trip; now she traveled much lighter. Still with all her stubborn ways he loved her all the more.
Michaela turned around minutes later at the sound of hooves pounding on the ground as Flash bucked a little at the noise.
"Whoa, Flash," Michaela called out as Sully slowly came into view going as fast as he could without exhausting the horse too much.
Sully lost slight control of the horse as he looked up to see Michaela watching him with a soft look in her eyes. He had enough time to smile at her before his horse skidded to a stop right in front of a tree.
Michaela watched in horror as Sully fell from his horse moving through the air a short distance before landing hard on the ground below.
"Sully!" Michaela called out in fear as she scrambled down off Flash and rushed to Sully's side.
Sully lay face down on the ground feeling the sticks digging into his skin along with the occasional bug crawling over him. He hurt so much from the fall, everything inside seemed to be screaming with some sort of pain.
His face was the least of his worries- cuts would heal but the rest of him didn't feel right.
Sully wanted to move, wanted to speak Michaela's name but hardly anything would come out as she knelt beside him trying to reach him. He knew she wanted desperately to find out what was wrong and fix him, but some things she just couldn't fix.
"Sully," Michaela called again as she let her knees fall to the ground at his side. She reached out to caress his hair and run her hands over him to look for any injuries.
Sully could feel the softness of Michaela's touch and the pain she felt inside as she called his name. It nearly broke his heart to hear such sadness fill her voice as she wanted desperately for him to answer her pleas.
Michaela felt the hardness of Sully's body for anything that might yield to something broken or bruised, but the injuries were not obvious. She poked and prodded wanting to find out what was wrong but with Sully not answering her, she grew fearful.
Sully could feel the emotions running through Michaela as she touched him, feeling her gentle caresses and hearing her crying pleas. He soon began to drift in and out of consciousness the more she let her fingers outline his lifeless form.
"Sully, please," Michaela called out "…I need to know what hurts, please tell me."
Sully wanted so much to answer her that it took several tries before he found his voice. "Legs feel funny….ribs hurt…" He replied trying his best not to scream in pain as he talked.
Michaela nodded in silence as a tear slipped from her eye. She couldn't bear the thought of him not walking again and remembered back to when he'd nearly been paralyzed for life.
Cloud Dancing had brought his lifeless body into her home where all she could see were bruises and blood, unaware of the internal damages.
Michaela's emotions nearly overwhelmed her at the site of someone she was growing to love hurting like that and now watching him suffer was even worse. She couldn't lose him like this, she had to act.
Sully felt Michaela's gentle hands on his as she searched for answers, unable to see or find what was wrong. He felt her hands go down his legs but not all the way. Somewhere in the caress she stopped or was it his imagination?
Michaela couldn't feel anything abnormal as she continued to examine Sully. His legs appeared to be just fine on the outside, yet she was still uncertain for what damages might lay on the inside.
"Your legs appear to be fine on the outside," Michaela answered wishing she knew why his legs weren't feeling right. Her heart seemed to break a little as the answers she was seeking seemed to be slipping away.
"Good….but feels…numb..." Sully spoke through the pain in his ribs and shortness of breath. His body screamed in pain he wished he could ignore, yet if he tried to move or talk he was reminded of it again.
Sully wanted so much to reach his hands up to Michaela and let her carry him away from this hell he was in right now. He wanted to be free of the pain that enveloped him, to be nestled in her soft caresses as his body protected hers from harm.
Cindy rolled over in her small bed burying her head underneath the covers as the sun began to pour through her small window. She didn't care to rise from her bed today, least not after last night.
Everything had gone on so well until the newly elected mayor had gotten so drunk that bits of his campaign had spilled out with each drop of liquor he drank.
She had been appalled at the story he'd written about the Doc exposing things that simply weren't true. A woman's business wasn't something he needed to be spreading around least not her courting habits if she was seeing the mountain man.
Cindy remembered later how Jake revealed the promise he had made to Dorothy and Dr. Mike, to give women the vote. The very idea sounded very exciting to her ears, yet the moment she gave any thought to smiling every man in the saloon looked shocked beyond belief.
Men stopped chuckling over the "Dr. Quinn Livin' in Sin" as glasses clinked on the table, eyes riveted on Jake as random men spoke out, "You can't be serious?"
"Givin' them women the vote just ain't right. Man's gotta make decisions like that."
"Jake, why'd ya go and do something like that?" Loren asked wanting more than anything for the stares to stop. "Not everyone's gonna like this idea," he added a moment later.
Jake looked back at Loren, "Why'd I give 'em the right? Cause you know the doc, she'd go butting in all over to make sure that happened," Jake replied without much of a care as the liquor was beginning to take over.
Loren sank back in his chair; Jake was right about the Doc. She was headstrong when it came to certain things and a women's right to vote seemed to be one of them.
Cindy sat there the whole time in the uncomfortable silence watching the exchange between the men. She couldn't believe how they treated Dr. Mike, who had done so much for this town. Then again they were men and she couldn't expect much else from them.
Cindy was left to clean up the tables at the end of the evening, one which she wanted to forget. It wasn't so much that he had promised women the vote, but what made her angry was his article.
She had a feeling the whole thing was played up to make Dr. Mike look bad and sinful. Sleeping with a man before marriage to some was a big sin yet Cindy found that as a way of life. There wasn't any man to support her and she had to make money somehow. Yet she knew deep down Dr. Mike wasn't that kind of woman.
"DR QUINN LIVIN' IN SIN
Dr Quinn is not the respectable Boston lady everyone thought. She's been livin' in sin for months in the old Sully cabin.
Michaela Quinn has been seen repeatedly in the mornings in the company of Bryon Sully a miner. Both have emerged from the old Sully home, she clad in her night dress, while he's still wearing his buckskins with an un-tucked shirt.
Sully has stayed the night in the same cabin as Michaela Quinn, suggesting the two have had intimate relations."
Cindy didn't let eyes stray too far on the article; it was just too upsetting and untrue. Michaela Quinn didn't look like a woman who took men into her home at night just to bed them and send them out the next day. She however knew the choices she had made in life weren't always the best.
Cindy was only fourteen when she was left alone to fend for herself. She was the youngest one in the family and no one really cared for a small meek girl with brown eyes and mousey hair to match.
Her will and determination kept her going as she carried a small bag and a diary across the vast prairies in search of something better. She lived through some nasty storms and nearly lost her life to wild animals on more than one occasion.
Cindy in all her wandering away from the past had somehow found her way into Denver and the home of Madame; Madame who smoked with an air and dressed in silks as if she was high society. Her face was painted with makeup that made her look like a doll with too much paint on her face.
Her first impressions of Madame had quickly become smothered in silk as the moment Cindy knocked on her door she was whisked away inside with Madame's arms still around her.
Cindy wouldn't soon forget everything she first saw and heard- other girls with paint on their faces who also dressed in silks, some with men in their arms and the noises she heard at night. Over time she was swept into that world of Madame's feeling as if that was the way she could become someone.
Sully felt himself slowly succumbing to the pain as his surroundings turned blackness. He turned to Michaela just before everything went black, reaching his hand up to caress her cheek.
Michaela panicked the moment Sully's hand dropped in front her and his eyes closed. She watched his head roll a little, fearing the worst inside. "Sully!" She cried out in what felt like a scream. "Don't leave me."
Her head immediately surrendered itself to Sully's chest as she began to listen for a heart beat.
Michaela tried to listen carefully for any signs but she was in such a state of panic her thoughts weren't forming clearly.
Sully could feel Michaela's warm body against his as he fought through the blackness into daylight. He wanted so much to tell her he was alright, but the pain he was experiencing had knocked him cold.
Michaela began to feel the warmth of Sully's body seep into her own as a small flood of relief washed over her. She then heard the beating of his heart as she allowed herself to relax a little. Tears formed in her eyes as she sat up, taking one of Sully's rugged hands in her own delicate ones.
Michaela sat there caressing his hand as she tried to think back to what Cloud Dancing had used to cure Sully's paralysis. Her mind had been so clouded before she couldn't think, but now her thoughts were forming more clearly. There was a root that she could grind and make into a salve. Her thoughts at the moment were at a loss for what the root was called. Yet she did remember rubbing it on Sully's legs and taking him to the hot springs.
Michaela wasn't sure how she was going to get him to the hot springs nor did she want to leave him alone and hurt. She felt divided - her heart aching to save him and breaking with the thought of leaving him in this state.
"I must get that root, but how I can I leave Sully?" Michaela thought to herself as she tried to remain calm. Her emotions were pushing themselves to the limit with Sully slowly fading into the depths of a coma.
Sully lay there reaching through a tangled web of darkness without anything but his senses. His body wanted to return to Michaela; her warm hand he could still feel in his own. Her heart beat one with his as he felt the sticky webs with his fingers before he pushed them aside. He could feel her above him like an angel filled with worry for him wanting him to be alright.
Sully didn't even notice the drops dripping from the threads on to his hands, nor could he see the bright eyes of spiders blinking in the darkness. He could only see and feel Michaela, the song of his heart which beat true love. There was no way he was going to leave her up there alone.
Michaela closed her eyes as she gently set Sully's hand back down on the ground. She could almost feel him calling her name from the depths of her soul; another voice entered her mind speaking to her of a root and where to find it.
Michaela opened her eyes as the voices slowly faded away into the air. She had heard just enough and knew right where to go. Her heart would have to trust that Sully would be alright, if only for a few minutes while she was gone.
Michaela let her feet carry her through the fallen branches, past trees and to a little stream. A stream that flowed along as if it had many secrets it wanted to tell, beckoning her to look into the glassy liquid. She knelt down at the edge, reaching into the icy cold as fish swam past. Her fingers felt frozen as she searched for the root.
Michaela let her fingers and the voices be her guide as she trusted inner instincts to tell her where to pull. Her hands soon landed on something rounded and rough even under the softness of water. Once her hand grasped it a shock went through her as the voices screamed for her to take it.
Michaela pulled on the root with all the strength she had in her, the root easily giving way. She fell backwards, not expecting it to come so easily. After regaining her balance, she sat there for a second, root in hand as the water dripped down her hand to her sleeve.
The voices in her head had ceased their cries leaving her in a peaceful state, till she felt another pull on her. "Sully," Michaela whispered into the air. She could feel his presence around her as if he was nearby.
Michaela scrambled to her feet but not without nearly slipping on her skirts and began to make her way back to Sully.
Sully found himself getting closer and closer to daylight as he worked his way through more of the tangled web of darkness. He began to feel the warmth of the sun upon him and the sounds of the wild around him.
Sully turned his head trying to roll over as the light blinded him shining rather like the sun. He raised his arm to shield his eyes as a figure approached cutting of the light.