Buffalo Soldiers: A New Twist

By Lynn

As the sun set in Colorado Springs, Dr. Michaela Quinn sat all alone on the edge of the cot in the small jail in the middle of town. She held her head in her hands looking down at the floor. She was the picture of sadness. As the jail became pitch black except for some moonlight streaming in through the small barred window, all that could be heard were the sounds of laughter and fun coming from the Golden Nugget Saloon. Michaela Quinn imagined that all the laughter from the saloon was about her situation, their proper Bostonian doctor sitting in their jail cell arrested for treason. Michaela was a private person when it came to her personal life, but now everyone in town knew where she was and why and what she faced. She knew she let Charlotte down. How could she take care of her children now? How could she allow her children to lose another mother? Michaela realized that her situation was precarious. She had admitted her guilt and she knew the only penalty for treason was hanging. But what could she have done differently? When Sergeant Carver had asked her how she knew where to come to help them she could not lie, could she? He had given her the perfect opportunity to get out of this by asking her again and asking if she was on the way to visit a patient. But no, Michaela Quinn had to tell the truth and stand up for what was right even if it meant she would hang.

Michaela heard a commotion outside the jail. She heard Sully's voice and could not help but smile. Next thing she knew Sully was walking into the jail with one of Grace's baskets. The army guard stayed outside probably because she noticed Sully was not wearing his belt with his tomahawk and knife. Sully pulled the desk chair next to the bars and sat down. He said, "I brought us dinner."

"I'm not hungry," replied Michaela.

"I figured that, but you could at least have some of Grace's apple cider, I know you like that." Michaela nodded, took the glass from him, and took a sip.

Sully looked down saying, "I am so sorry I got you into this, Michaela."

"You didn't get me into this, it was the right thing to do. If I hadn't warned the Indians, the army would have attacked the village trying to kill dog soldiers, and a lot of women and children would now be dead. My one life isn't worth more than all of those lives."

"When the sergeant took you by the arm and tied you to your horse, I wanted to jump on the back and ride away with you."

"I know, Sully, but we could have been shot while escaping and even if we made it, we would be running all of our lives and couldn't take care of the children." Michaela regretted that they could not have just ridden off together.

"Michaela, how did Sergeant Carver know you had warned the Indians?"

Michaela looked down and whispered, "I told him."

Sully shook his head and said, "I should have figured you couldn't lie."

Looking at her with growing concern he added, "Michaela, I tried everything I could think of today to get you out of this, but I don't know if anything I did is going to help."

"I am sure you did everything you could."

"I took the Sergeant out to the village to meet Black Kettle, to give the Indians a face to the army. I wired President Grant. I wired some other army officers Cloud Dancing knows about that have treated Indians fairly. I just don't know what else to do."

"That's all right Sully, don't blame yourself, I knew what I was getting myself into when I agreed to do this."

"Black Kettle, Cloud Dancing, and Snowbird are so worried about you and so thankful that you put their village's safety ahead of your own. I am so proud of you and so scared for you." Again Sully paused. He hoped his next words would cheer her up a little, "I've asked if you could be held in a more private place. I thought after all the things you've done for them that Sergeant Carver might let you go to the clinic. That way I thought I you could talk to your kids in private there."

Her face lit up. "Thank you Sully, I would like that."

"The kids wanted to come see you, but I figured you wouldn't want to have them here if you could avoid it. I convinced them not to come now, but I promised them they would get to see you again."

"Thank you Sully, I appreciate that. If the worse comes to worst, I promise to see them to say good bye."

" Michaela, don't think like that, something good could happen!"

Sully knew that there wasn't much hope that Michaela would survive this, but he couldn't let her give up.

"You know Sully, it might not get better and I have to take care of things in case this is my last chance. Will you do some things for me?"

"Of course, anything."

"Is there any paper in that desk so I can write letters to my mother and my sister, Rebecca?" Sully got up and looked. He was surprised he actually found some and he gathered the paper along with a pencil he handed it to her.

"Will you mail these after it is over? I want them to understand why I did what I did and that the children are to be raised here, and whatever money I might someday be entitled to would go to the children so they can use it for their education." I would also like you to talk to Olive and make sure she will take care of the children. I want them to be kept together and not be sent to an orphanage."

It was hard for Michaela to voice her last request. "I would also like you to get everyone to promise that if I am hung, they will not be there to watch. I can't handle that. They could stay at the church and pray for me until it is over and then just bury me near the church."

Sully had an awful flash of seeing Michaela's name on a marker right next to Abigail and Hannah's. At this point the soldier at the door stepped in and said that Sully had to leave. "I will see you in the morning, Michaela, try and get some sleep. I will take care of all of this for you. I will leave the basket near the cell in case you get hungry later."

A few moments went by and, Michaela was left alone in the dark. A tear ran down her cheek. Everything seemed to have deserted her, even the moonlight as a cloud had covered the moon.

After Sully had done all the things Michaela had asked of him, he went to the jail to report on his activities. They wouldn't let him in, but did agree to take a note to her. He told Michaela in the note that Olive would take the children and others had agreed to help. He had also gotten the town to promise not to come out and watch if the worst happened. He had even gotten Hank to stay away. Michaela smiled at that and realized that this had probably taken a lot of talking.

In the afternoon Sergeant Carver came in and started to unlock the cell saying, "You are to come with me to see the captain." He grabbed her arm to escort her out just like he had when he first arrested her.

For a moment, Michaela was puzzled, "What happened? Does he need medical attention?"

"No, he is back in command."

Michaela went with the sergeant knowing that this was probably it. She was going to learn her fate. She took a deep breath, held her head up high and continued out the door with the sergeant.

Everyone in town was out there. They must have figured out that this was the trial so to speak, at least the kind of trial the army held. Michaela and the Sergeant stopped and faced the Captain who was standing with the rest of his troop lined up next to him. The captain asked the sergeant why he had charged this prisoner with treason. The sergeant replied, "Dr. Quinn warned the Indians that we were going to attack the village so that they sent a war party out to intercept us and 11 soldiers died." The captain looked at Dr. Quinn, who stood straight and tall and asked, "Is anything the Sergeant just said untrue?"

Michaela looked right at him lifted up her chin and bravely said, "No".

The Captain actually looked sorry, but still said, "I then have no choice, but to declare you guilty of treason and sentence you to hang by your neck until death. The sentence will be carried out tomorrow morning after we have built the gallows."

The whole town gasped, but Michaela just stood there holding her head up high.

Her children were shocked. They couldn't believe they would really hang their mother. Loren put his arm around Brian and Miss Olive did the same with Colleen. The captain wasn't a man without a heart and had decided to make things as easy as he could for the doctor. "Since you have done so much for us, letting us have your extra clinic rooms and treating our injuries, I want to make your last night somewhat more comfortable. You will be held at your clinic until your hanging instead of at the jail in order to give you some more privacy. For the next hour you will be allowed in your examination room with guards outside so you can say good-bye to your children. For the rest of the night you will be locked in one of your recovery rooms where you should be more comfortable than in jail."

Surprised, Michaela looked at the captain and said, "Thank you."

She continued to hold her head up stoically as the Sergeant escorted her to her clinic. Once inside, Michaela just wanted to scream. Her tears threatened to fall, but she maintained her outward strength especially for her children. Almost immediately after she was put in the clinic, her children were allowed in and Brian hugged her with all of his strength and asked, "Are they really going to kill you Ma?"

"I am afraid so Brian."

Colleen yelled, "No!" and hugged her Ma tightly.

Brian needed to know, "Will it hurt you Ma?"

"No, my neck will break and I will die immediately."

"Will we ever see you again?"

"Oh, yes Brian we will see each other again in heaven. What I did was the right thing so I know I will go to heaven and we will see each other there. I will see your real Ma there soon and I will tell her how well you are all doing."

Mathew chimed in, trying to help his Ma in staying strong, "You will see your Pa soon again, too."

That brought a smile to Michaela's face. " Miss Olive will take care of you for me and so will Sully, Robert E., Grace, and Mr. Bray. You have a whole town that loves you and will help take care of you."

"But we will miss you Ma", said Brian.

"I will miss all of you too. I love you all dearly" and she hugged each one with all of her might.

"Colleen, I want you to become a doctor as you dreamed; I know you will become a great one. I have written my family and hope they will help you afford to go to college and medical school. I want all of you to accomplish your dreams. I have left this clinic and all my medical equipment to you three. You can use the building as you want and save the instruments for the future use of Dr. Colleen Cooper."

After a moment of hesitation Michaela continued, "Now you all understand that I don't want you to be there tomorrow morning?"

"Yes, Sully explained to the whole town that it would be too embarrassing for you to have us all watch and that you requested that we would all stay in the church and pray for you. Everyone agreed."

"I don't want you to see me hang because that is the way you will remember me. I want you to remember the good times we had together, not this."

"We will do what you want us to, Ma."

"Thank you."

While the children were saying good-bye to their Ma, General Custer rode into town to check on the captain. When he saw the soldiers building a gallows in the middle of town, he immediately found the captain to ask whom it was for. When he heard that it was Dr. Quinn who was going to hang for treason, he smiled. He wished it would be Sully too, but he would be happy that at least one of his problems in this town would be gone. He decided to stick around to see her swinging from a rope tomorrow morning. He was going to enjoy this. As the children left the clinic after their one-hour visit with their Ma, General Custer was right outside the door. He overheard Brian telling his sister that he was glad they would see their Ma again in heaven. General Custer stepped closer and told Brian, " Your Ma isn't going to heaven, she committed treason. She is going straight to Hell to be tortured for the rest of eternity." He had his awful grin plastered across his face the whole time he was talking to Brian. All three children looked up at the general and with tears running down their cheeks they each decided to believe their Ma rather than Custer and left the clinic without saying another word.

After the children were gone, the soldier on guard duty took a lamp and escorted Dr. Quinn to one of the recovery rooms. He locked her in the largest one with the balcony and took the lamp back down the stairs with him. Michaela stood by the door in total darkness. As she waited for her eyes to adjust, she let out a sob and let the tears run down her face. This was her last night on earth and she was all alone in the dark in one of her recovery rooms. As she stood there, feeling as lonely as she ever had before, she heard a whispered, "Michaela?"

"Sully!" She reached out her hand to his voice. "Stay there I will come to you, my eyes have already adjusted to the dark."

As he moved towards her he said, " I know it is improper for me to be here alone with you, but I just couldn't let you spend this night alone!"

When his hand reached hers, she practically fell into him and he circled her with his strong arms. Michaela whispered, "Thank you" as she continued to cry and her tears wet his shirt.

"I wish this wasn't happening to you, I wish it was happening to me instead," Sully said.

"Oh no! I wish this wasn't happening to me either, but I couldn't stand it if it was happening to you. I am scared, Sully. Brian asked if it was going to hurt and I assured him that it wouldn't since my neck would break and I wouldn't feel anything. I know, however, that this is not what always happens. If the neck doesn't break, I could slowly and painfully choke. I have heard that you could kick and suffer for half an hour."

All Sully could do was to hug her tighter as she cried even harder. This was the only place she could release her fears. Sully had seen a lynching from a tree without a hood covering the face. The thought of that happening to Michaela really scared him. He knew that being hung from a scaffold should be quicker with less suffering, but that person's face was certainly there in his mind. Finally Sully said, "I can't believe God would do that to you for trying to save lives. Let me take you over to the chair."

"No" Michaela said, "Just hold me," as she steered him over to sit on the edge of the bed not moving out of his arms.

Sully was surprised she wanted to be held on the bed in the dark, but he didn't mind one bit. She was shaking, and letting her fear show for the first time all day. After a long pause Sully said, "I need to ask you a favor."

"Anything, but I don't believe I am in any situation to do anything for you."

"Please allow me to be there for you tomorrow morning."

"Why would you want to watch me hang?" Michaela was looking up at Sully with question marks in her eyes.

"Oh, I wouldn't but I know you, you are going to be strong and brave the whole time walking out there, climbing up the thirteen steps to the gallows, and allowing yourself to be hung. I want to be the one person you look at and that can send you all the strength you need. I also want to be there to prevent any of the soldiers from doing anything to disrespect you after you are gone. I want to claim your body and carry it over to the church to put it in the coffin Robert E has built for you. I will nail it shut and then get the people out of the church to hold your service. This way no one else will see your body and the soldiers can't get away with anything. Custer is staying to watch tomorrow and I don't trust him!"

"Sully that's going to be awfully hard on you."

"It will be the hardest thing I have ever done, but it is the least I can do for you, please let me."

Michaela leaned even harder into him, but she shook her head yes and said thank you as the tears fell even faster down her cheeks."

However, Sully wasn't finished yet, "There is something else I need to tell you. It would have probably taken me much longer to tell you this since I find it very hard to share my feelings, but I have known for a long time that I love you with all of my heart."

Sully then kissed Michaela, as he had never dared to before. When they came up for air Michaela replied, " I love you too," as she stroked his cheek.

They kissed again with more passion than Michaela had ever experienced. They kept kissing and Sully introduced her to an entirely new experience of using their tongues. Michaela had never known this wonderful feeling before.

After they pulled apart Sully could tell that Michaela wanted to say something, but was afraid. "You can tell me anything, you know."

"Not this, you will think I am awful if I told you what I was wishing for."

"There is nothing that you could say that would make me feel you were awful. There isn't any wish that I wouldn't want to grant you, I love you more than life itself. Now tell me, please."

"I don't want to die without, I mean I want to show you how much I love you, but I don't know how. I know the mechanics of course, but I have never been with… oh I can't say this."

Michaela was really struggling with this. Sully thought of what it could be. What would she not want to die without doing, how did she want to show him how much she loved him, what does she know the mechanics of but had never done and, who would she have never been with?

When it dawned on him, Sully asked with a smile on his face, "Are you saying you want to make love to me?"

Michaela turned as red as she could and looked away.

"I told you that you would think I was awful, just like one of Hank's girls."

Sully's smile grew even broader as he turned Michaela's face to look at him.

"Awful? Are you kidding? That is the most wonderful thing you could have wished for."

"It doesn't bother you that this is what I wish I could do on my last night and that I don't really know how since I have never been with a man?"

"Bother me, I am honored, but have you thought about how you will feel, Michaela, if something wonderful happened and you won't die tomorrow?"

Michaela said with confidence, "What we will do tonight would just be our little secret, no one would know. No one knows you climbed up here to be with me. I only want to do this if you also want to; I mean I don't even know how to… please you."

"Michaela, all you have to do is just relax and follow your heart. You wanting to be with me pleases me more than I could have ever dreamed. Are you really sure you want to do this?"

Michaela was scared, but she nodded her head yes.

"Then if we are going to do this, I want to do it right." Sully took Michaela's hand and slipped off the bed and on to one knee. "Michaela I will love you all of my days, will you marry me?"

Looking right into his deep blue eyes, Michaela smiled and said, "Yes!" Sully pulled her up into a standing position and kissed her, holding her tight.

He could feel her shaking from nerves and tried to sooth her, whispering in her ear, "Just relax and trust me."

"I do trust you, completely" she responded with a smile on her face. They started kissing by exploring each other's mouths. For someone who had never kissed that way before, Michaela was a quick learner. Both lost in wonderful feelings, Sully's hands started exploring Michaela's body by rubbing up and down her sides. He then sat them down and started unbuttoning her blouse. After he pulled it off of her, she started undoing his shirt and pulling it off to join her blouse on the recovery room's floor.

Michaela put her hands gently on his chest and started exploring his body. She felt his soft curly chest hair and his strong muscles underneath. Sully groaned with pleasure as she moved down his chest to his sensitive stomach muscles. Michaela was thrilled that she could make him feel like that. Sully pulled down the straps of Michaela's camisole and then pulled it all the way off. Her beautiful perfectly formed breasts were now there for him to see and caress.

Michaela blushed, but didn't shy away. Feeling him touching her there thrilled her. Sully continued to remove the rest of Michaela's clothes. He told her she was beautiful with a perfect figure. Sully now took off his buckskins and she could see what she had done to him. She could tell he wanted her, but what she saw scared her and she let out a gasp.

Sully said, "I thought you said you have seen a naked man before?"

Blushing, Michaela admitted, "I have, but he was dead."

Sully continued to explore her body with all of its feminine curves. Both of their hearts were racing and their body temperatures were rising. His hands gradually moved down her body to her most private area. His hands started to stroke her there giving her the most wonderful feeling she had ever felt. She was enjoying his touches so much she wanted to do the same for him. The best she could manage with her shaking hands was a light brush. Sully moaned a sound of pleasure even with just that. "Oh, Michaela what you do to me." As Sully's stroking got harder and faster Michaela also moaned Sully's name. She became ready for him.

Sully moved her to the middle of the bed and climbed over her. As he entered her, Michaela felt a little pain, but it was nothing in comparison to the pleasure she was experiencing. She felt herself stretching to accommodate his size and she loved how he filled her. Sully loved the feeling of her being so tight around him. As Sully began to move up and down, Michaela, reveled in the feelings she was experiencing. Sully moved his hand between them to give her even more pleasure. Finally they came to their peak and just lay there enjoying their feelings as they came down.

Michaela spoke first, "I can't see how my mother called that a wifely duty."

Sully asked, "What did she tell you?"

"She said that after I was married it would be my duty to allow my husband to release his needs whenever it was necessary. She said I was to wait until he asked and then just relax as best I could and let him have his way with me. She said nothing about me enjoying it or wanting it, but I did and I do."

Sully laughed and told her about the Cheyenne. He asked her if she knew what they asked a young man who had just taken a wife. Feeling how she shook her head no, he explained, "They wanna know if she shows enthusiasm." Giving her a moment to digest that, he smiled and added, "I appreciate your enthusiasm! I would never want you to just let me have my way with you. I would only want to make love with you because we truly love each other."

"Don't worry, I only want to be with you because I love you more than I can say. Sully, I never knew it would feel that wonderful, being with a man like that."

"Oh, Michaela, I have been wanting to be with you since I saw you fall in the mud, get up, straighten your clothes and continue on as if nothing had happened. I knew we would be special with each other. We are of one spirit and tonight we reunited that spirit."

Sully felt his heart breaking, knowing this could be their first and last time of intimacy. In his mind he kept asking the spirits to cause something to happen in the morning to make this only their first time and not their last one. He kept his fear to himself though; he knew Michaela was worried enough.

As they lay in each other's arms, enjoying these new wonderful feelings of love and closeness for a very long time, Michaela asked Sully if he could tell what time it was. He was wondering why and she explained, "I wanted to know if we had time to do this again before I need to dress and get ready for the soldiers to come for me."

Sully smiled, rolled her over and started kissing her and caressing first her breasts and then her whole body again. It didn't take them long until they were united as one again. After they came down from an even greater high this time, they knew that they now had to dress and get ready to face what was to come.

After they were done, they stood in the middle of the room, facing each other and holding hands. Michaela needed for Sully to know what the last hours had meant to her and told him. "Thank you Sully for making my last night of life better than I could have ever dreamed."

Smiling down at her face, he replied, "You don't have to thank me, that was the best night of my life, too. We are obviously soul mates to start off so perfectly. If they really kill you today…" He had to pause for a moment because his voice choked on emotions. "… I will remember this night all my life until we can be together again forever. If something happens and they don't hang you, this night will just be the first of many nights to come with ever increasing pleasure, after we are married of course."

They stood in a tight embrace for a while. Then Sully hid in the closet waiting until the soldiers took Michaela. He did not wish to be seen climbing down the balcony in order to take his place by the gallows as her support. He desperately wanted to save her, but had no idea how to do that. When they heard the soldiers climbing the stairs, Michaela stood tall and brave in front of the door. As Sully waited in the closet and Michaela stood waiting for the soldiers, they both realized this could be the end. Very shortly Michaela would be dead and their beginning love would be gone. The army was really going to hang Michaela Anne Quinn!

When the door opened, Michaela stepped out on her own and started down the stairs with the soldiers following.

She couldn't stop the questions in her head. Was what she did right?

Should her children have to lose another Ma?

She kept saying to herself, "I will show no fear. I will show no fear. I will hold my head up high, what I did was right."

When she stepped out of the clinic, she looked for the gallows and continued walking. When she got to the stairs she looked up and saw the noose hanging waiting for her as well as the hangman and his assistant standing near by it. Michaela took a deep breath and tried to swallow the lump in her throat before starting to climb the thirteen steps to her death.

When she reached the top, she stood right on the trap door and turned to look out right through the noose. She kept thinking of what Sully had said. God would not let her suffer since she was dying for what is right. She prayed he was right.

The town had kept its word. No one she knew was out there to watch besides the soldiers and of course Sully. She stood tall and brave even when she saw Custer's face with his awful grin. When the hangman brought the handcuffs over to her, she willingly laid her hands behind her back so he could put her in handcuffs. She knew she would never move her hands again. She would never again use her skills in surgery to save a life.

When the assistant hangman brought the leather strap over to bind her feet together she slid her feet together willingly. She would never take a step again. Never again take a walk with Sully in the woods.

Oh Sully, how could he love her so much that he was willing to watch this just so no one did anything to her body after she was dead?

Oh, how she loved that man! She was so happy that he spent the last night with her. Boston might say what they did was wrong, but she knew it was so right.

As the assistant hangman approached her with the black hood to pull it over her face, she turned to look at Sully. It was his face she wanted to be the last thing she ever saw. He was there and his face showed he was sending her all of his strength and all of his love. He was filling her with love just like he did last night. Looking at his love she could not help but smile. Seeing her smile up there on the gallows infuriated Custer. He yelled "Hurry up and just hang her!"

Michaela still smiled at Sully. However, just as the hood was to be slipped over her head, a man rode his horse right up to the gallows and ordered the hanging stopped.

Everyone froze hearing him shouting. He was wearing an army uniform, but who was he? Custer yelled, "Who authorized you to stop carrying out of this sentence?" The stranger said, "Our commander in chief, President Grant." He handed the telegram that said that this officer was to hold an investigation into Dr. Quinn's conviction of treason to General Custer. The new army officer called out, "Who is here to support Dr. Quinn?"

Sully stepped forward and said, "I am."

"It is difficult to balance when standing with your feet strapped together. You can go up there and steady her." Sully bounded up the steps in two long strides. He put his arm around Michaela and she, with indescribable relief, leaned into him.

The new man informed her, "Dr. Quinn, I have been sent by the President to be sure your conviction is correct. After this investigational hearing we might very well end up right out here again for this sentence to be carried out. I want you to understand that just because just because we are going to investigate your conviction doesn't mean it will be changed. Do you understand?" Michaela nodded yes. "Dr. Quinn, if I let you walk over to the church on your own, will you give me your word that if this same sentence is to be carried out you will walk back here with no struggle or complaint as you have this morning?"

Michaela instantly assured, "I promise."

The new army officer ordered the hangman to unbind her and let them go over to the church. Sully bent down to untie her feet while the hangman removed her handcuffs. Before they climbed down the scaffold Custer yelled, "Aren't you going to put her in chains during your investigation? She is a traitor!"

"She promised to come back here willingly if so ordered. Didn't you see how she came here willingly and completely cooperated this morning? By the way one more thing, Dr. Quinn, I have told everyone in the church they are not to speak to you during this investigation. I have also promised your children that if you are still to be put to death that I will give them another private time to say good-bye to you. You may have one person sit with you at the defendant's table. Would you like this man to be that person?"

Michaela said, "Thank you and yes I would like to have Sully with me." Michaela, Sully and all of the soldiers left the gallows and walked towards the church.

As Michaela and Sully climbed down those awful thirteen steps and started over to the church, Sully put his arm around her and Michaela leaned into him. Was it because of what they had done the night before or because of what Michaela was still facing? Michaela didn't know, she just knew that she wasn't embarrassed to be like this in public, and she liked it.

As they walked, Michaela whispered to Sully, "I don't see how this is going to help anything; I admitted I did it. I still committed treason in the eyes of the law." Sully then hopefully explained that he had put the truth in the telegram to the President and he it was obviously that why he sent this man here so this could still be good." He gave Michaela a little squeeze and they continued over to the place where her fate would be decided.

When Sully and Michaela entered the church, all talking stopped. It was eerie for them to walk down front to sit at the defendant's table in complete silence. For a town that probably thought that Michaela warning the Indians about the army's attack was wrong, they were certainly being supportive of her. Not one of them came to watch her hang because she asked them not to and now, when the army asked them not to talk to her during this investigation, they were all being completely silent. For that, Michaela was very thankful. As she and Sully sat down, Sully took her hand for support and the new army officer went to the front to address everyone there.

The whole town saw them holding hands and Michaela did not care, she needed Sully's support and it was nice to have someone with her rather than always having to be brave totally alone.

Finally the stranger spoke, "My name is General Parker and I am a member of President Grant's cabinet. I was representing the President at a meeting in Denver when I received orders to come here to investigate this hanging to make sure the President's wishes were being carried out."

General Custer stood up saying, "The only sentence available for treason is hanging and it doesn't matter if the traitor is a woman."

General Parker replied that the general was correct that hanging was the penalty for treason and who the traitor was did not matter. Custer sat back down with a smile on his face. "The President sent me to see if Dr. Quinn is really a traitor or not."

Custer felt confident that things were going to go his way since she had admitted her guilt and he thought, "Stupid woman, no one should admit their guilt."

"Her sentence is not the question just her guilt", continued General Parker. "If she is guilty, her sentence will be carried out right after this investigation. Now, who was it that first charged Dr. Quinn with treason?"

Sergeant Caver stood up and General Parker asked him to come forward so he could ask him some questions. Michaela took a deep breath as the investigation began. All she could do was hope that Sully was right and what she did was not treason in the eyes of President Grant.

"Sergeant Carver, what did Dr. Quinn do that made you charge her with treason?" asked General Parker.

"Dr. Quinn heard our plans that we were going to attack Black Kettle's village on the reservation to kill dog soldiers and she rode out and told them. They then sent a war party out to engage us before we arrived at the village and eleven soldiers were killed."

"Sergeant Carver, how did you find out that this was why the Indians attacked you?"

"Dr. Quinn told me." When he said that the crowd gasped.

Hank rolled his eyes and Loren whispered, "It figures, she always talks too much." Sully squeezed Michaela's hand again.

"Let me get this straight, the only way you knew that she did this is that she told you?"

"Yes, General," answered the Sergeant.

"Did that surprise you?"

"Yes, Dr. Quinn has said and done several things lately that surprised me."

"Like what Sergeant?"

"When we were on the battlefield and Dr. Quinn was treating my wound, I asked her how she knew where to come to help us. She said she hadn't come to help, but to warn the Indians. I said to her that was treason. She said no, Sergeant, I believe your attacks are unjust and it was my duty as a citizen to oppose them. There were women and children in that village. I tried to give her another chance and stood up looking right at her and said, "Let me ask you again, how did you know where to come to help us? You must have been out here to visit a patient or something." She slowly stood up and looked me right in the eye and said, "No Sergeant, I came to warn the Indians." I then grabbed her arm and said she was under arrest."

"OK, now what else has Dr. Quinn done that has surprised you lately, Sergeant?"

"When we got into town and I had put her in the town's jail cell, a crowd formed outside. Some were saying that she thought she was helping the Indians and that I should just have to ignore that. I responded that she had contributed to the death of eleven soldiers. Someone else said she hadn't killed anyone. Next someone started to say that if I was a white officer that I wouldn't have arrested her. She shut them up by saying that I did what I had to do. She then said, "Remember what Thoreau said? If a government imprisons people unjustly then the only place for a just man is a prison." I couldn't believe it, she thought she should be in that jail; that really surprised me. Everything she has done since has shocked me. She has stood tall and brave when she was sentenced to hang. Today, she walked herself up those thirteen steps and cooperated when we tied her hands and feet. Most men we hang aren't even close to that brave. They cry, beg, and/or struggle most of the time."

"Do you have anything else to say?"

"Mr. Sully tricked me and took me to the Indian Village to meet Black Kettle. I know that it is against army policy to fraternize with the enemy, but I didn't know where I was going. After meeting Black Kettle and seeing his village I agree with Dr. Quinn; our attacks are unjust. We would have killed many innocent women and children if we had attacked the dog soldiers on the reservation."

Colonel Parker now showed the Sergeant a piece of paper and asked if he had ever seen these written orders from the President.

"No, Sir," answered Sergeant Carver.

"Was your planned attack living up to these orders?"

"No, Sir."

"If you were going to try and kill dog soldiers and do what this order said, how would you have attacked?"

"I would have hid my troop outside of the Reservation and attacked the dog soldiers when they left the village."

"Thank you Sergeant. Will the Captain now please step forward?" While the captain came up, the sergeant sat down.

Michaela looked at Sully and whispered with a big smile on her face, "Thank you, I think your telegram to the President and your taking the Sergeant out to the reservation might just save my life."

Smiling back at her, Sully just squeezed her hand and mouthed, "You're welcome"

"Captain, was the attack the Sergeant described what you had ordered him to do?"

"Yes, my orders were to kill dog soldiers where ever we found them."

The general showed the same written order that he had showed the Sergeant to the Captain and asked, "Have you seen this order from our Commander in Chief?"

"Yes, I have."

"Do you agree with the sergeant that the attack you ordered did not follow these orders?"

"Yes, but I was told that order was no longer in affect."

"Did you ever see another order from the President that changed this one?"

"No, Sir."

"Then why did you think the President had changed his mind?"

"General Custer told me the President had changed his Indian policy. He now believed that the only good Indian was a dead Indian."

The Colonel re-asked the Captain, saying, "I want to be sure here, you have never seen this change written anywhere from the President and got it only orally from General Custer?"

"Never from the President or written anywhere, but I have heard other generals say the same thing."

"Thank you Captain."

Parker wasn't done yet though.

"General Custer, will you please come up front here now?"

Although he didn't like it, Custer complied.

"General Custer have you seen this written order from President Grant?"

"Yes, but it was a mistake. General Grant really believed that extermination is the only answer to the Indian problem."

"How do you know this?"

"President Grant was first a General in the United States Army so I know that is what he believed. Any fighter who has seen what the Indians have done would think that way."

"You have just decided this on your own?"

"Yes, I am sure that is how he really feels."

"OK, let's talk about something else now."

Custer had a smile on his face like he normally had. He was thinking that General Parker changed subjects because he saw that General Custer was right and that didn't bode well for Dr. Quinn.

"General, do I understand correctly that you talked to Dr. Quinn's children when they left the clinic after having their private meeting with their mother to say good bye?"

"Yes, that is correct and I want to go on record that I have talked to the Captain and told him that he should not have allowed a traitor special treatment."

" You mean you think it was wrong to allow Dr. Quinn to say good bye to her children in private?"

"Of course, she contributed to the death of eleven soldiers."

" She also treated our men, even taking an arrow out of the Captain."

"Yes, but that is her job as a doctor, besides she is just a woman doctor and an Indian lover to boot."

"OK, let's go on with your conversation with her children. Did you over-hear her children talking about seeing her in heaven again?"

"Yes!"

"Then what exactly did you say to them?"

"I had to set them straight. I told them they would never see their mother again because their mother committed treason, she will go straight to Hell and be tortured for all of eternity."

Everyone in the church gasped hearing that and Michaela jumped up concerned for her children. But before she could even turn around General Parker said, "I have already talked to your children and they decided to believe you, Dr. Quinn and not General Custer."

Michaela breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down. General Parker turned to Custer again. "I have to ask, even if you believed that Dr. Quinn was guilty and going straight to Hell why did you feel it was necessary to tell these children that?"

"Children should not be coddled, they needed to know the truth. Besides having her children upset would make Dr. Quinn's punishment even worse."

"You honestly thought Dr. Quinn's sentence should have been worse than death?"

"The worse the better!" said General Custer with an evil grin on his face.

"So Dr. Quinn acting so brave this morning must have really upset you?"

Michaela and Sully smiled at that.

"Oh there was still time for her to fall apart and cry, beg and struggle like most condemned do," argued Custer.

"Didn't look that way to me," commented Parker and then continued.

"Sergeant Carver, come over here."

As the Sergeant got to General Parker, he bent over and gave him some secret orders. When the sergeant finished listening, he smiled at Dr. Quinn and ordered half of the soldiers to come with him and left the church. Michaela and Sully looked at each other wondering what this was all about.

Next, General Parker ordered the Captain to take General Custer into custody and to take him to Fort Leavenworth for court martial. "What are you doing, you have no authority," yelled Custer.

Parker looked right at Custer and said, "I have the full authority of our Commander in Chief, President Ulysses S. Grant."

"What are you charging me with?"

"You are charged with disobeying the orders of a superior officer and conduct unbecoming an officer."

"What are you talking about?"

"By taking it upon yourself to change the President's orders, you were disobeying a superior officer and the way you talked to Dr. Quinn's children trying to scare them and increasing their pain about her death sentence is conduct unbecoming of an officer in the United States Army, if I have ever seen it. Now to you, Captain, I am not charging you with anything, but may I suggest that if any officer countermands any written order of our Presidents that you demand to see it in writing from the President."

The Captain said, "Thank you, and I will definitely demand written orders if that situation ever occurs again!"

"Now Dr. Quinn, would you please rise and face me."

Sully let go of her hand and Michaela slowly stood. They were both fairly certain that Michaela was no longer in trouble because of what had happened, but they still did not completely trust the army even though Parker seemed to be fair.

"Dr. Quinn, first, as a representative of the United States of America I want to thank you. By putting your life on the line, you stopped the US Government from breaking its word and killing many innocent people. Secondly, I want to make it clear that all charges against you are completely dropped."

The entire church broke out in applause. Her children got up and moved forward. They looked at Parker to be sure it was all right for them to go to their Ma. The general smiled and nodded yes. There was no halt for the children anymore, they rushed to their Ma and hugged her. Only smiling faces could be seen as everyone filed out of the church, they noticed a pile of scrap wood near the church. Then they realized that the gallows were gone. When Michaela stopped on the church's steps and noticed this, General Parker stepped up behind her and said, "I thought you had seen enough of those gallows. This way the wood can keep you all warm in the church this winter."

"Mr. Sully, the President wanted me to thank you for letting us know what was going to happen here in the name of the President. Most people wire the President in such situations asking for a pardon for their loved one. You did not do that, you told the President what Dr. Quinn had done and why. By hoping that the President would agree that what she had done was correct and that he would somehow stop the hanging. When the President just gets wires asking for pardons he usually ignores them, but yours did not ask for a pardon you asked for the President to decide if what Dr. Quinn did was the right thing. That made him look at this case and decide that you seemed to be correct, that was why he sent me. Dr. Quinn, I am very impressed with your bravery and your willingness to stand up for what is right. I just thought you should be aware that this man saved your life."

Smiling broadly, Michaela assured, "Oh, General Parker, I am very aware of that."

As the townspeople crossed the meadow, Grace suggested that they came to her café to celebrate. Michaela hung back at first to hug her children once again. Relief showed up in everyone's eyes. Michaela really just wanted to go to her home, a place she loved and she never thought she would see again. "Sully, how am I going to thank this town? They have been so supportive."

When they got to the café, Michaela asked Grace for a basket of dinner for her and her family to take it home instead of staying. While Grace was packing it, Michaela started to speak to the town. She got their attention easily because she was the topic of conversation at every table anyway.

As she started to speak, her voice began to shake. Sully took her hand in his to calm her and give her strength. Michaela thanked the townsfolk for praying in the church for her rather than coming outside and for their cooperation during the investigation. "I assume that most of you think I was wrong to warn the Indians and yet you helped me in spite of that. I can't tell you how grateful I am."

Someone in the café shouted out, "You have been supportive of everyone in this town at one time or another when we needed your help, it was our turn for a change!"

Everyone nodded in agreement and Michaela smiled. She then explained that she was tired from all the stress of the last few days and said she hoped that they would understand if she just wanted to go home with her family rather than staying for a celebration. Everyone again nodded their heads, so when Grace came with a full basket of her delicious food, Sully brought their wagon around and the children, Michaela and Sully went home.

The whole family sat around the table eating Grace's best and laughing. The three Cooper children were so happy having their Ma home again and safe, they were bubbling over with joy and talking a mile a minute about all that had happened. Michaela stopped talking and just looked around the table at her happy family. Only this morning she had thought she would never be here at this table with her children and of course Sully again. Soon the children started to wind down. The last few days had been hard on them, too and they needed to go to bed early. Mathew said good night and went out to the barn as Brian and Colleen retired to their beds, too. Sully and Michaela took cups of coffee out to the porch to talk alone.

While this family scene played out at the homestead, Hank, Jake, and Loren were talking about Dr. Mike in the saloon. "Did you see how Sully was holding her hand through-out the investigation today in the church?" asked Jake.

Hank laughed and smiled, "If I could figure out when and where, I would say that Sully has had her!"

"Don't be ridiculous, she has been locked up for days and she is just too proper for that. She thought she was going to die, she wouldn't have wanted to meet her maker with that kind of sin on her record."

All three men laughed at that. Hank continued, "I don't know, both she and Sully had the tell tale smile on their faces that I have seen on many lovers before!"

The secret Loren held was driving him crazy, but he didn't share. Sully had asked him to open his store while Mathew got the wagon and horses ready for them to go home. Loren knew that Sully had purchased one of the simple engagement rings Loren stocked. Loren had agreed that Sully could trade it in for a fancier one and to keep his mouth shut about this until hopefully Michaela said yes. This was some hard secret to keep, but he did. Loren did however agree with Jake; he didn't believe they would have gotten together in that way before marriage. He knew they were in love, but they would wait and besides, when could they have found the time?

It was that same ring that was currently burning a whole in Sully's pocket as he and Michaela sat on the porch enjoying the evening. Sully finally spoke when he put his arm around Michaela. "I was convinced we would never have these wonderful evenings on the homestead's porch again."

"Neither was I Sully. Sully, I have to say something. I don't want you to feel obligated to stick with what you said in the clinic last night. You thought I was going to be dead today and you gave me a wonderful evening for which I will forever be grateful, but you don't have to stick with what you said in that situation"

Sully was shocked. "Michaela Quinn, do you honestly think I would have proposed to you just to give you enjoyment on your last night? Do you think I asked you to marry me just to be able to make love to you? You asked me, remember, and it was wonderful."

"Oh I remember that", Michaela said with a smile. "I just wanted you to know I wouldn't hold you to anything you did just because I was going to die."

"You don't have to hold me to anything. I love you more than life itself. I would have traded places with you on that scaffold in a heartbeat if I could. I was just afraid my proposal wasn't good enough for a woman like you, I wantto do it again but better."

As he spoke again, he took the ring box out of his pocket and showed it to her. "I even sneaked away to buy you this to make it official. I have made an agreement with Loren that if you say yes, I can order a better ring and trade this one in for it. Of course I didn't want to tell Loren that you have already said yes. Assuming that you still want to."

"Of course I still want to, I love you more than I ever thought possible and Sully, your proposal was perfect, I loved it. I just didn't want to make you feel obligated if you didn't want to."

Sully slipped down on one knee.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. You are the most caring and kind woman there is. You are the strongest woman I know. I don't deserve you."

Michaela tried to interrupt him but he made her stop so he could continue. "I am the luckiest man in the world that a beautiful and intelligent woman like you would even give me the time of day much less be my wife, but that is what I am asking you. I will love you all of my days. I need to be with you and I will try to be the best husband to you. I will treasure you with all that I am forever. Will you marry me?"

Michaela looked into those deep blue eyes of his and said, "Yes!"

Sully then opened the box and slipped the ring on her finger. Tears were dripping down Michaela's cheeks, and she responded with a knot in her throat, "I am the luckiest woman in the world to have a man like you to love me. You are amazingly handsome and strong. You make me feel loved and protected. I need to be with you too and I will love you all of my days."

Sully got up off his knee and hugged Michaela like he would never let go. He then kissed her with all the love in his heart and Michaela returned that kiss with all the new skill she has just recently learned. They finally broke a-part, but it took all the self-control they had to do it. They looked at each other and both knew it was going to be much harder waiting until they were married now that they knew how perfect they were together.

"Sully, what do we do next?

"I think tomorrow I should ask your children for their permission to marry you."

"Oh Sully they love you."

"Should I ask your Ma? I don't think she will be too thrilled after her visit here."

"No, you are right, but she saw our love when she was here, she knew it before we even did. I will just tell her. Rebecca, my oldest sister, will help me. I will ask Mother to the wedding, but it will be up to her if she comes. I am a grown woman and I don't need her permission. She doesn't approve of me being a doctor or my living in Colorado Springs so her not approving of my choice of fiancé won't be different."

Michaela pondered.

"Now how do we tell everyone else?"

Sully chuckled "I would love to climb up on the clinic roof and yell to the world, "The most wonderful girl in the world agreed to marry me. She is the bravest and smartest and of course prettiest woman I have ever seen! We're engaged!"

"Sully, that is too embarrassing." I figure people will see the ring and then the word will spread."

"All right, if you want to do it that way I won't stand and shout it, but you know, that is how I feel. I would like us to go to the reservation to tell Cloud Dancing and Snowbird and then I would like to build a bigger house just for our family. A room for each of your kids and one for us."

"No, they will be our kids Sully and I can't wait until there is an our room," said a blushing Michaela.

"I will try and build it as fast as I can."

"You better!" smiled Michaela.

"I guess, I better leave for my lean-to. I will need my rest if I am going to build this large house quickly."

Sully took Michaela in his arms and kissed her deeply, both thankful she was still alive.

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