Secrets

Dr. Quinn inspired fan fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. The rights to those characters and to the show belong to the creators of the show, to CBS, The Sullivan Company and to A&E.

Note: This story takes place in 1873. Yellowstone was established as a National Park in 1872, which set off an entire national parks movement. Sully finds his mission as part of the national parks movement and works with Welland Smith to preserve other parcels of land as national parks.

Chapter 1

Sully was bewildered and angry. He looked again at the large, white envelope Horace had handed him. He slapped it hard against his open hand. He still couldn't believe what he read.

He tucked the envelope into the pocket of his pants, hopped up on the wagon, and started for home. Sully was glad he had built the homestead so far from town. It would give him time to think about what he would say to her.

The clip-clopping rhythm of horses' hooves numbed his mind. As if it weren't numb enough after that letter. The envelope was postmarked Washington, D.C. but no seal adorned the outside. It couldn't be official business for the Bureau. Most correspondence from his boss, Welland Smith came by wire or on his office stationery.

A confused and curious Sully had opened the letter as he sat on the bench outside the clinic door. The handwriting wasn't familiar, but the salutation said, "Dear Sully." 'This person must know me,' he thought.

The writer made reference to a short visit to Colorado Springs and asked how Michaela and the kids were. Then the subject changed to work with the National Parks Bureau and important legislation that needed to be passed. The final lines requested Sully's help in encouraging Congress to pass that legislation.

Sully's eyes scanned the bottom of the third page for the writer's identity. His eyes flashed red as the name was revealed. Sully looked several more times to make sure he read it right.

He was furious. Why hadn't she told him? Didn't she know how he would feel? Now too angry to have lunch with Michaela, he decided to head back home.

The homestead appeared in the distance and Sully's mind wandered back to the present. He pulled into the yard and tugged on the reins. The horses stopped and replied with a soft neigh. His anger was gone. All that stung now was the pain of her deception.

----- ----- -----

Michaela looked at the clock again. She wondered why Sully was late. He never missed lunch with her and Katie.

After waiting another ten minutes, Michaela could no longer ignore her rumbling stomach. She went upstairs to get Katie and they walked over to Grace's Café. Michaela made her way to a table, waving at familiar faces before sitting down with Katie on her lap.

"Hello Dr. Mike," said Grace with her native New Orleans drawl.

"Hello Grace. Have you seen Sully today?"

Grace cupped Katie's face in her hand. "I saw him earlier by the clinic. Didn't he stop by?"

"He was supposed to meet me for lunch. I'm starving and I have appointments all afternoon so I couldn't wait any longer."

"Well I'm sure he's fine, Dr. Mike. You know how Sully is. He just takes off whenever the mood strikes him."

"You're right," Michaela acknowledged. "I'll have meatloaf today."

"Comin right up."

Horace entered the café and walked over to Michaela. "Hi Dr. Mike."

"Hello Horace." She smiled at the friendly telegraph operator.

"I hope that letter from Washington was good news."

"What letter?"

"The one I gave Sully this mornin."

"When did you see Sully?" Michaela asked.

"Bout eleven o'clock."

"Do you know who the letter was from?"

"Nope, just figured it was O-fficial business since it came from Washington."

"Sully looked hoppin mad after her read it," Hank, the saloon owner chimed in from his table. "Got right in his wagon and headed outta town." Hank smirked.

"Really?" Michaela said with concern. She wondered who could have sent him a letter that would make him so angry.

----- ----- -----

Michaela was distracted the rest of the afternoon. She couldn't wait until her appointments were over. At three o'clock she picked up Katie, went outside and locked the clinic door. 'How odd Sully wasn't there to bring them home,' she thought. She walked over to the livery and hoped to spy Sully talking to his good friend, Robert E.

Robert E was busy working when she got there. The beads of sweat dripped off his forehead as he stood by the fire hammering a horseshoe. He wiped off his face before greeting her.

"Hi Dr. Mike. How's my beautiful godchild today?"

"She's fine thanks." Michaela looked around. "I thought Sully might be here."

"Ain't seen him since this mornin," Robert E replied.

"Maybe he's running late. If you see him, can you tell him we're at Grace's?"

"Sure thing Dr. Mike." Robert E stooped to plant a kiss on Katie's check. "Bye-bye Katie." He waved at her.

After waiting an hour Michaela walked back to the livery and asked Robert E to drive them home. He happily agreed, but like Michaela he was concerned about Sully.

----- ----- -----

Robert E's wagon approached the homestead. They could see Sully outside chopping wood. He swung the ax hard, his arms shaking with every hit. They heard the whack, whack of the ax as they got closer.

The wagon came to a stop and Michaela thanked Robert E for his kindness. He helped her down from the wagon seat and then she grabbed Katie off his lap.

"Sully?" she called.

He acted as if he never saw them. "Oh hi Michaela, Robert E." He flashed Katie a smile, but Michaela knew something was wrong.

"Are you all right?" She continued without waiting for his response. "Why didn't you come for lunch or to pick us up? I got worried."

"I'm okay," he said continuing to swing the ax. "Musta lost track of the time."

Annoyed she said, "Robert E drove us home."

Thanks Robert E," he said looking at him. "I really owe ya one."

"No problem Sully. Just glad to see everythin's okay."

Michaela and Robert E shared a confused glance and he bid them farewell. Sully kept chopping wood as if Michaela and Katie weren't there.

"I guess I'll…a…bring Katie in the house and start supper," said Michaela.

"Okay," he replied without looking up.

Michaela stared at him for a few moments. She wondered how long it would be before he was ready to talk about the contents of the letter. She guessed that was why he was acting so strangely. 'He never even kissed me hello,' she thought as she walked up the front stairs.

----- ----- -----

Supper was quiet and tense. Their son, Brian was relieved when it was late enough for him to excuse himself and go upstairs. Michaela got Katie ready for bed, kissed her goodnight, and then went downstairs to join her husband. She found him sitting in front of the fireplace poking at the embers, deep in thought.

She sat down in the chair across from his and waited in vain for him to speak. After a few minutes of silence she imparted, "Katie's all tucked in."

"That's good." His eyes stayed focused on the growing flame.

"Sully…" She waited. "Sully look at me." He glanced over at her before returning his eyes to the fire. "Won't you please tell me why you're upset? Is it the letter you got from Washington today?"

"Yes."

"What does Welland Smith want?"

"It wasn't from Welland Smith," he replied snidely.

"Oh, who was it from?"

Sully pulled the folded letter out of his pocket and handed it to her. Michaela pried the pages out of the envelope and began to read. When she got to the bottom of the third page she gasped. She flipped through the sheets again, as if somehow it would change the identity of the author.

Michaela glanced over at Sully. He met her eyes and she could see the pain behind them. "I'm sorry Sully."