Author's Note: This fic is in the category of "Missing Enthusiasm", a term coined by DQMW fans to describe love scenes between Sully and Michaela written either canon, but "when the cameras shut off", where intimacy was hinted at, or off canon as a fix-it fic in scenes where there was none, but people wish there had been. These scenes/fics are not solely during their married years, but can also include their courtship and engagement periods as well, keeping in mind levels of intimacy that are in character during those times. If you enjoy these types of fics, be sure to check out the DQMW community called "The Missing Enthusiasm Enthusiasts". If you're on Facebook, you can also send me a PM and I can invite you to the secret FB group where you can talk with other MEE writers/readers, add your own ideas for MEE scenes, etc.
This particular fic is slightly off canon at the end as it does not segway into the scene where Michaela comes looking for him the next morning with Sully saying he wanted to give Michaela some space. Given their personalities, I would think that it would be Michaela that would want to give Sully some space, but I don't like that idea either, so I left that out. In my DQMW world, the "I appreciate your enthusiasm" talk takes place after their first time making love, so it's already occurred by the time this fic takes place.
This fic was written as an entry for the weekly word challenge in the Facebook group "FanFiction .net Writers Unite!". (I had to put an extra space so it didn't get deleted.) The word for this week was "stars".
I used freelang dot net for my use of Cheyenne so be sure to look up the Cheyenne dialogue! :)
Sully sat on the steps of the homestead looking up at the stars as he drank his coffee. He wouldn't be sleeping under them anymore, but there was something deeply satisfying about knowing that his new wife and children were safe inside their home and he would soon join them. That was better than any starlit sky.
"May I join you?" he heard Michaela whisper from behind him.
"I'd be disappointed if ya didn't," he said as he smirked into his coffee, but didn't turn to face her.
"You picked the perfect spot for our home, Sully. It's a bit far from town in the case of a medical emergency, but it sure is beautiful," Michaela said, as she her eyes looked in the direction of her husband's.
"Told ya I knew the land," he whispered, proud that his decision pleased her, before kissing her cheek softly since she still had her eyes fixed on the night sky.
"Sully... Do you... miss sleeping under the stars?" Michaela hesitantly asked as she turned her head to face him.
Sully smiled. While she'd gotten progressively more comfortable with all aspects of married life during their honeymoon, he knew that certain insecurities still lingered. As much as he hated that she was even the least bit insecure about his love for her or his willingness to change his lifestyle, proving her wrong was rather fun.
"Michaela, we just spent 2 weeks in a fancy hotel an' ya know that's the last place I'd choose ta stay if it were up ta me, but did I once give ya any indication I was unhappy with where I slept?" he asked her, his tone slightly naughty and playful.
Michaela giggled as she blushed. "No..." she replied, thinking that the exact opposite had been true. He had seemed quite... satisfied... to sleep in a bed next to her.
"Then why do ya think I'd have a problem sleepin' next ta my beautiful wife in a bed an' house that I made for her with my kids sleepin' down the hall?" he asked her softly.
In response, Michaela just shrugged her shoulders.
"Michaela, let me ask ya this," Suly said as he took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. "Do ya regret comin' back from Boston ta start a life with me?"
Michaela looked mortified that he would even ask such a question, "Of course not, Sully!"
"I know ya don't," he assured her, clarifying that he only asked to make his point. "Then why do ya think I miss the way I used ta live?"
"I don't know," she admitted.
"As much as I loved sleepin' under the stars, it had one drawback," Sully told her.
"What was that?" Michaela inquired.
"I didn't have anybody ta share it with," he whispered before kissing her softly.
When the kiss broke, Michaela curled into his side as he brought his arm around her to hold her close.
Suddenly an idea came to him. "Michaela, go inta the house an' grab the quilt an' the pillows from the bed as well as one of the spare blankets from the closet," he told her.
"Why?" Michaela asked as she pulled away to look at him, a confused expression on her face.
"I wanna sleep under the stars with ya," Sully whispered as he stroked her cheek lovingly.
"Sully!" Michaela gasped. "We can't do that. What if Matthew comes out of the barn?"
"Not out here," Sully chuckled. "I wanna take ya somewhere."
"What about the children? We can't leave them alone," she rebutted.
"We'll have Matthew sleep in the house. They'll be fine," Sully shot down her objection.
"What would we tell him? He'll know why we're leaving," Michaela said, clearly embarrassed.
"Michaela," he said in a stern yet gentle tone. "Matthew's an engaged man. Ya even caught him an' Ingrid in the barn once. He knows what'll go on behind our door at night. Askin' him ta keep an eye on the kids so we can have the night ta ourselves is no different. I know he's lookin' forward ta bein' married ta Ingrid for the same reason, so I'm sure he understands our wantin' ta be alone an' would keep an eye on things here so we can have that time t'gether. I don't like lyin' ta people, 'specially the kids, but if you're really that uncomfortable with Colleen an' Brian knowin' why we left, we can have Matthew tell 'em we left on a medical emergency if they ask."
Michaela was torn. Her propriety and duties as a mother and doctor told her that it was a ridiculous idea, but there was something about the idea of sleeping (or maybe not sleeping) under the stars with Sully that sounded strangely exciting. She thought back to the first days of their courtship when Sully had showed her his world. Nature was such a huge part of who he was, and he was giving up some of that to build a life with her. Shouldn't she make an effort to share in things that were important to him? He had not only willingly taken on the responsibility of three children, but he also completely supported her career. This was the least she could do to thank him. Besides, he was doing this because he wanted to show her how much he loved her.
"Alright. I'll get things ready," she finally said, reaching for his empty coffee cup as she stood.
"Good," Sully grinned broadly. "I'll go talk ta Matthew an' get the wagon ready."
Michaela kissed him softly before turning to go into the house and prepare for their night together.
"Matthew? Ya still awake?" Sully spoke softly as he entered the barn.
"Yeah, Sully," Matthew said as he stood from the hay pile where he'd been laying. "Is something wrong?"
"No," Sully shook his head. "I was actually wonderin' if ya could do me an' your ma a favor. I wanna take her somewhere special t'night so we were wonderin' if you'd mind sleepin' in the house t'night ta keep an eye on Colleen an' Brian for us."
"Sure thing, Sully," Matthew said, trying to supress a grin.
"Thanks," he said sincerely. "We'll be back after sun up. I know ya hate lyin' to 'em, but if the kids ask where we are, we'd appreciate if ya told 'em we had a go out on a medical emergency. Help Colleen with breakfast an' make sure the chores an' Colleen an' Brian's homework get done. After everything's done, the three a ya can do anythin' ya want. Just be home in time for dinner. Tell Colleen she don't need ta come home early ta cook. I'll help Michaela with dinner. I know she was disappointed last night cuz she wanted ta make somethin' special for dinner, but she works real hard between school, the clinic, an' helpin' at home. She deserves a day with her friends, too. Tell her she can make her dinner t'morrow night."
Matthew nodded, silently telling Sully he could be counted on. "Where will ya be?" he asked. It'd be nice to know in case a medical emergency comes up,"
"Ya know where I proposed ta your ma?" Sully asked.
Matthew nodded.
"That's where we'll be," Sully stated simply.
"You need help gettin' ready?" Matthew offered.
"Sure, thanks. Could use help loadin' some firewood inta the wagon an' a bucket a water," Sully said.
Just as Sully and Matthew were finishing loading the wagon, Michaela exited house with the pillows, quilt, and blanket.
"You ready?" Sully asked as he took the things from Michaela and finished loading the wagon.
"Yes," she said softly, a bit embarrassed that Matthew, in full knowledge of their plans, was standing there.
"Well, I'm gonna go inside, have a good night," Matthew excused himself, feeling his adoptive mother's uneasiness.
"Matthew," Michaela called to him as he made his way to the house.
"Yeah, Dr. Mike?" he asked as he turned around to face them again.
"If you'd like, you're more than welcome to take our bed tonight," she offered.
"Nah, I'll take the floor," he said expectedly.
"Alright, well goodnight," she replied
"Goodnight," he returned and went inside.
"So, where are you taking me?" Michaela asked as they pulled out onto the road.
"You'll see," was Sully's only reply.
"Not even a little hint?" she begged.
"It's somewhere we been before," he said.
"Not Harding's Mill!" Michaela gasped.
Sully laughed, "Believe me, that's a night I wouldn't mind recreatin'... with a few changes... but no, we're not goin' there."
Michaela sighed in relief, "Then where?"
"How about you jus' rest against my shoulder an' when ya wake up, we'll be there," he suggested.
Knowing she wasn't going to get an answer, Michaela curled into Sully's side and began to doze off.
"Michaela, we're here," Sully said as he pulled the wagon to a stop and kissed the top of her head.
"I still don't know where we are, Sully. It's too dark," Michaela said as she looked around, trying to collect her barings.
"You'll be able ta see when I get the fire goin'" he replied. "You stay here till it's burnin'. I don't want ya trippin' in the dark."
"Ok," she replied before kissing him softly. "I love you,"
"Love ya, too," he replied after responding to her kiss. "I won't be long."
While Sully was starting the fire, Michaela allowed her thoughts to roam. How she had changed in the two short weeks since she and Sully had been married! While she was still adjusting to the new level of intimacy between her and Sully, she was no longer frightened or thought of it as a "wifely duty" as her mother had described it. On the contrary, she enjoyed her private time with her husband and, by the end of their honeymoon, he had not only convinced her that it was more than alright that she show and voice her enthusiasm, but that it was not improper for her to initiate intimacy if she desired it. She would never forget how, after their first time making love, he had pulled her into a close embrace and told her about how the Cheyenne view making love. She had been shocked that men actually ask other men if their wives show enthusiasm, and even more so that being able to say "yes" is a source of pride and respect. This new mentality was so different from even the final weeks of her engagement. Then, she'd been reluctant to drop everything to spend a few hours alone with Sully in broad daylight for fear of being irresponsible, but now she was sneaking off with him in spite of having arrived home from a wonderful two week honeymoon that very morning...
Michaela's thoughts were interrupted when she heard the familiar sound of Sully's footsteps coming closer. Grabbing the bedding, he walked over to Michaela's side of the wagon where she was waiting for him.
"Hold these," he spoke softly, and before Michaela could reply, he picked her up and carried her over to where he had started the fire.
"Sully! I can walk just fine," she squealed delightfully
"I know, but I like carryin' ya," he whispered in her ear.
"Oh, Sully!" Michaela finally exclaimed when she sat on the log that Sully had laid next to the fire and looked around.
"Now do ya know where we are?" he asked as he sat next to her after making their make-shift bed and put his arm around her.
"This is where you proposed! The fire is even in the same place and we're sitting exactly where we did that morning," Michaela tearfully exclaimed.
"Uh huh," he said simply, before leaning in to claim her lips in a sweet kiss.
"It's so beautiful here. The last time we were out here, I was so concerned about you that I didn't notice." Michaela said as the kiss broke and she looked up at the sky.
"Michaela, I have a confession ta make..." he whispered softly into the night.
"What's that?" she asked, her eyes returning to his.
"When I dreamed a sleepin' under the stars with ya, I din't just dream a sleepin under 'em with ya..." he spoke, his eyes boring into hers.
Michaela blushed, but didn't avert her eyes. "What did you dream about?" she asked, part of her knowing what he was referring to, but another part needing verbal confirmation.
"Why don't we go ta bed an' I'll show ya?" he asked.
"But I'm not tired yet," she bantered back.
"Good," he smirked as he stood and held out his hand for her.
As soon as she stood, Michaela once again felt herself be lifted into Sully's strong arms. This time; however, there were no squeals of delight or protest. As he placed her gently down on the make-shift bed, she smiled. He'd chosen the exact spot where she had held and watched over him as he tried to sleep, albeit spearatically and fitfully.
"Sully, are you sure no one will come by here?" she asked nervously as he began to slowly undo the buttons of her blouse.
"I'm sure," he said confidently. "One a my lean-tos ain't too far from here an' I never saw anyone come through here after dark. We'll be fine til after sun up."
Michaela relaxed. As much as she never dreamed she'd be making love outdoors, she trusted Sully's words and was secretly happy that she didn't have to curb her vocal enthusiasm because of their children being just down the hall.
Feeling her relax, Sully smiled and continued his task. When her shirt was completely undone, he tugged the hem gently from her skirt and slid it down her arms. "Lift up," he encouraged her gently and, when she did, he unbuttoned and removed her skirt.
When Sully had gotten her down to just her camisole, pantaloons, and shoes, Michaela decided that her husband was wearing far too many clothes and unbuttoned his shirt in the same, sensually slow, manner he had with hers. When his chest was bare, she took a few moments to trail her fingers down his tanned skin, of which she had already committed every muscled ripple to memory.
Once he'd given her some time to enjoy his upper body, Sully moved down to her feet and removed her shoes. After setting them aside, he gently caressed her stocking clad feet and calves which elicited a coy smile from Michaela. When his hands reached her knee, he slowly rolled the stocking down her shapely leg before gliding it off her foot, his eyes never leaving hers. He then repeated the process with the other stocking. Once she was barefoot, he raised her left foot to his lips and place a kiss to the bottom of it, causing her toes to curl as his lips tickled her skin. "Even her feet are enthusiastic!" he marveled to himself. When her toes relaxed, he slipped her big toe into his mouth and sucked gently, his tongue running its length.
"Mmmaaahhh," Michaela moaned softly as she felt his warm, wet tongue on her skin, encouraging to repeat the process with her other nine toes, which he willingly did.
Once her feet had been shown care and devotion, he hooked his fingers into the waist of her pantaloons and slid them off. Sully couldn't help proudly smirking when Michaela eagerly raised her hips without being asked.
Sully then pulled to a sitting positon from where she reclined on the blanket. He leaned in and kissed her softly as he undid the tie at the neck of her camisole.
Just as Michaela thought he was going to remove her final piece of clothing, Sully stood. This earned him a puzzled look from Michaela that he was able to make out in the dim fire light. Grinning broadly, he undid the single button that kept his bucksins fasten and quickly removed them as well as his boots.
Michaela grinned in return as her husband's naked and aroused form was bathed in the yellow, orange, and red hues that came from behind him. Her womanhood pulsed at the sight and, for a brief moment, she thought she might reach her climax just from looking at him.
When Sully returned to Michaela's side, he noticed that her breath was labored with passion. As much as he wanted to consume her with his body, he was determined to take things slow, just as he had on their wedding night. Now that they were home, their nights completely alone would be few and far between, so he wanted to make tonight count. Slowly he lifted the soft cotton off her torso and over her head.
Once she was as naked as he, Sully lay down beside her, pulling the quilt around them to shelter them from the night air, and gathered her into a sweet, protective embrace, not unlike when she had woken up after Sully had rescued her from her Dog Soldier abductors, and they sighed simultaneously at the skin to skin contact.
"Ya cold?" he asked, wanting to make sure that their evening was nothing but enjoyable
"A bit," she shuddered for effect, but Sully suspected she might have been putting on an act.
"Can't have that. I guess I better warm ya up then," he whispered seductively and he gently cupped her breasts in his hands, massaging them and running his calloused thumb already her very firm peaks.
"Aaahhh," Michaela said in a mixture of a sigh and a moan.
As if they had beckoned him, Sully lowered his head to her firm breasts and began to suck on on her firm peaks, causing Michaela to shudder on his arms. He'd given her chest this kind of attention many times over the past two weeks, but having her in his arms as he did so seemed so much more sensual and erotic.
Wanting to continue lavishing her body with care, he raised his head and claimed her lips in a slow, but passionate kiss. As soon as their lips touched, Michaela moaned and he took that opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. The kiss remained slow in pace, but quickly deepened in intensity. As she lost herself in the kiss, Michaela's hands tangled in Sully's sun bleached hair. Before coming to Colorado Springs, she'd never known a man to have such long hair, but she found it strangely appealing from the moment she met him.
As the need for oxygen became vital, Sully moved his kisses to her neck and she soon heard Michaela let out a laugh.
"What's funny?" he asked, a little more irritated than he cared to admit.
"Oh, I was just thinking of Hank," Michaela said flippantly, not realizing how her words came across.
"Michaela, I'm tryin' ta make love ta ya and you're thinkin' about Hank?!" Sully exclaimed, oddly thankful for his shock since it squelched his anger.
Michaela's eyes widened and she immediatly pulled him back down to her in a loving embrace. "I didn't mean it like that!" she said, horrified and deeply embarrassed. "I was just thinking about how much I love your hair, specifically running my hands through it. It's a shame that more men don't have longer hair. Their wives are missing out. Before coming to Colorado Springs, I didn't know any men that had such long hair. To this day, the only other Caucasian man I know with long hair is Hank... well, and Custer, but he's hardly a man. He's a beast, so I guess his long hair is to be expected."
Her explanation given, Sully couldn't help but laugh. Most men would have been deeply offended, as he was at first, if their wives were thinking of men, much less Hank and Custer, while they were trying to make love to them, but Sully loved Michaela for her mind as well as her body, even if what entered it was highly unexpected at times.
"Well, I think I better get your mind back on me, don'tcha think?" he asked in a seductive tone.
At his question, Michaela nodded and bit her lip as she smiled impishly.
Slowly, Sully's fingers trailed down Michaela's body, starting at the sensitive spot behind her ear, going down her throat, in the valley between her breasts, and down her (hopefully not for long) flat stomach. When he got to the place just above her mound, he stopped, which made Michaela hold her breath in anticipation.
"Now who are ya thinkin' about?" he asked naughtily as he slid his index finger into her warm, moist womanly canal.
"You!" she attempted to shout confidently, but the onslaught of sensations reduced her voice to a choked whisper.
"Good," he smirked.
"Very," Michaela bantered back as she labored to breathe.
"What about now?" he asked as he slid another finger into her depths.
"Only you!" she needlessly clarified as she drew in a breath to fill her lungs as if she was drowning.
"Mmm... That's right. You're so wet... An' so hot... All for me..." Sully whispered as he watched his wife's body flush with a mixture of passion and bashfulness at his frank words.
"Mmm Byron..." Michaela moaned as she slumped back on the ground, letting her husband have his way with her body.
Sully smiled, knowing that his wife's thoughts couldn't be further from any person other than him at the moment and continued to slowly move his fingers in and out of her passage, his thumb caressing the bundle of nerves that would bring her climax.
Suddenly Michaela's legs began to shake and she lifted her hips up, slightly begging him to quicken his pace. "Oh, Byron! Yes!" she moaned repeatedly as her body raced toward its peak.
When her spasms had subsided, Sully withdrew his fingers, gently bent her legs up, and lowered his head. Pausing for a moment, he inhaled the scent of her noma'heméa'xe. The scent of it alone was the most wonderful thing in the world, but it coupled with the aroma of the fancy soap she used that still wafted from her skin was almost enough to make Sully's heart stop.
As wonderful as she smelled, he just had to taste her, so he gently slipped his tongue between her folds and began lapping at the after effects of her climax. As Sully, quite literally, feasted on her sensuality, Michaela again began to moan and it wasn't long before she was in the throws of another orgasm.
Michaela's world was spinning. She felt as if she might literally fall of the face of the earth. She tried in vain numerous times to call out Sullys name, to moan, to make any vocal indication that she appreciated Sully's enthusiasm as much as he appreciated hers, but each attempt only resulted in shallow gasps of air forced into her lungs. Finally, she she regained control of her respiratory system and let out a long moan as she reached her peak for a second time, shuddering almost violently as Sully continued to drink her in.
When Michaela had finally calmed, Sully lifted his head to make sure she was alright. Crawling up beside her and under the blanket, he pulled her close and kissed her softly, "Né-méhotatséme," he whispered when the kiss ended.
"Né-méhotatséme" she echoed, reclaiming her lips.
It wasn't long before the pair's kisses soon rekindled their deepest passions and Michaela rolled on her back to signal that she was ready to be one with Sully. Smiling, his movements shadowed hers as if he was a mountain lion stalking his prey and he loomed over her, looking deep in her eyes. With one slow movement, he entered her and Michaela sighed. As if they had years of practice, the pair soon set up a rhythm, each person completely in tune to the other. Their pace was unrushed, as if they had all the time in the world, and yet were savoring each movement as if it were the last. Sully nearly withdrew completely from her, only to slide in deeper than the time before. Soon, Michaela wrapped her legs around Sully's waist, urging him on. The pair could have remained locked in their embrace forever, but unfortunately they felt their mutual climax approaching all too soon and each increased the speed of their thrusts, desperate to reach the peak of passion with their lover.
"Mmm Byron...Ooooh!" Michaela gasped as she felt her body being hurled forward once again, but this time caught in the arms of her husband.
"C...Chaela..." Sully uttered, this time he was the one that struggled to speak.
With one last thrust, Sully's passion for Michaela exploded inside of her and her body responded in kind.
"That... was..." Michaela gasped as the fell into an exhausted heap onto each other.
"Uh huh..." was all Sully could reply as he struggled to find the strength to pull his weight off of Michaela's exhausted body.
"Sully, you seemed different," Michaela finally said when she was able to speak, her body curled intimately beside his.
Sully raised his head to look at her.
"Oh, no! I don't mean it like that," Michaela said, instantly recognizing the look on Sully's face as one that thought he'd done something to displease her or leave her unsatisfied. "Quite the opposite actually. These past two weeks have been wonderful, but tonight you seemed freer, lighter... and I think it's because we're under the stars."
"Michaela," Sully replied. "I told ya. I love my life livin' with you an' the kids at the house."
"I know," Michaela said as she softly caressed Sully's face. "But I also know how much being out doors means to you, I just don't think I realized how much until I began to think of everything you willingly gave up to marry me. I know that a part of you will always be out here and I want to share this part of your life with you."
"You mean you'd make love in the woods again?" he asked impishly.
"For you, Byron Sully, I'd go anywhere," she said, not directly answering his question, but both knew the answer was "yes".
"That's one of the reasons I love ya so much Michaela," Sully confessed. "Your body isn't the only thing that's enthusiastic, your heart is, too. You'd do anythin' for anybody."
"Oh, Byron," she crooned as she clung to him, completely overwhelmed with her love for him.
No further words were needed and the two looked up at the stars that seemed to wink above them as they waited for sleep to claim them, each one thinking that a starry night was best enjoyed in the arms of the other.