Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to the characters of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. The show and the characters belong to Beth Sullivan and to CBS/A&E. Certain scenes are taken from the original show and I do not claim them as my own. I am just borrowing them to play with for a little while. :)

It was night and the darkness surrounded her like an envelope. She ran and stumbled blindly in the midnight ghost atmosphere. They were on her tail and she knew it. Pushing her body to the limit, Michaela's body received an extra burst of adrenaline in the fear of the situation. Running as fast as she ever had, though her feet burned like something she had felt maybe only once before, she threw herself into the deep wide river. Luckily it wasn't raging too quickly and she swam until she couldn't anymore. Turning on her back, she let the water carry her body to another destination.

Her head crashed with lighting and she had no idea where she was. Then, suddenly it all came back to her. The robbers, their cruel, evil smiles. The way the older one looked at her. The running, the fear, sweat falling across her face, dampening her hair, then cool, crisp water in the deep black that was night. Now the sun was out and glistening overhead. She felt like she had been through it all before but also knew that it could not be so. Or something like it at least.The thought alone had sent shivers up her spine. But for some reason she felt empty. Perhaps, she thought, perhaps I should be quite happy. I'm finally free and I remember all the events that happened. Her doctor's mind worked quickly like face paced clockwork turning and reeling in her mind. Yet still, she felt empty. Perhaps she didn't remember it all? Had he hurt her and she was trying not to remember? No. She pushed that ridiculous notion out of her head. She recalled her nights and days and weeks with the spiteful criminals. She could recollect every single detail and every waking moment. She sighed, confused. Why couldn't she shake off that dark feeling that something was missing?

Michaela heard a rustling in the bushes. Her head snapped to the left in attention. A black, shiny button pushed its way through the dense leaves and she smiled in relief.

"Wolf!" she called, the medium sized wolf came trotting to her side and she scratched his ears kindly. "Oh, Wolf! I thought I might never see you again!" Michaela pressed her nose against his muzzle and he licked her face contentedly. "But where's Sully?" she asked, then turned her head again to face the now broken leaves and branches,

"I'm right here, Dr. Mike." He pushed into the undergrowth and smiled warmly.

"Sully! I thought I was all alone. I was so scared and I…" she stopped. He was staring at her. Why was he looking at her like that? She saw in his deep, blue eyes a great sense of relief and kindness, but also as if he stared straight into her soul. "Sully?"

"Yeah."

"Why were you…why are you staring at me like that? I mean I know I look quite a mess but…" she stopped short, looking into his eyes silenced her. After all, the way he stared at her. It gave her such a strange feeling, it brought such a strong warmth that spread inside her body. She shook of the thoughts. Michaela was confused. She had only known Sully for a short while, he had allowed her to rent the homestead and she gratefully accepted and he in turn helped the town accept her. She barely knew him as a person, but he was still most likely her best friend. Her children looked up to him and he always came through.

"Michaela, I…" he looked at her face and stared deep into her eyes and knew something was gravely wrong. "What is it? Michaela?"

"You've never called me Michaela before." she whispered, more to herself than to him. Still her heard her.

"Course I have…What on Earth are ya talkin about?"

"No. You haven't. You always call me Dr. Mike."

Sully was dazed and very lost. Here he had finally found his heartsong again and she acted like they barely knew one another. His head reeled with thoughts, could it be that she didn't remember anything about her past life except for the fact that she had moved to Colorado Springs? No, that was impossible… wasn't it? How could one just forget everything that had happened? All the things that had occurred between him and Michaela. They had gone through so much together, too much for him to loose it all now. Sully decided to change his tactics.

Glancing over at her he saw her brow furrowed, deep in thought.

"Dr. Mike?" he spoke tentatively.

"Yes?" Michaela looked up, shaking of the webs of thoughts collecting in her mind.

"Uh…is there some disease where a person can, ya know, forget about their past? Or maybe justa part of it?"

"Yes there is. It's called amnesia. Why?"

"Nothin'. Just heard stories and such and I guess I'd forgotten the name. Now, Dr. Mike?"

"Hm?"

"You really oughta rest. You look awful tired and you've been through a whole lot. We can travel tomorrow and get back to Colorado Springs around noon, alright?"

She nodded her head slightly then looked down.

"What is it?" Sully asked, concerned.

"I can't…I can't walk." She stuttered slightly. He breathed a slight sigh of relief that it was the only issue.

"Don't worry I'll carry you." Michaela glanced up, eyeing him curiously. But she decided against saying anything because she knew that was her only route home. Sully's thoughts raced. How could this happen to Michaela? Again? Things were so similar from the first abduction. There were but a few differences and that had only been the robbers instead of Dog Soldiers who captured her and their way of abduction. And this time there was no reason behind it and it was worse. These men were known for being murderers and he had been praying that they hadn't harmed her too seriously. He was grateful, she wasn't dead, but she was badly injured. She didn't remember anything before her capture and that was what made it all the scarier.

Michaela continued to glance at Sully, a strange and excruciatingly strong feeling of de-ja-vu continued to wash over her like waves in high tide. His words flowed through her head in continuous loops. Making it back to Colorado Springs the next day, him carrying her back. It was just all too familiar. But it was impossible. After all she had only come to Colorado Springs a few months ago or maybe a bit more. She sighed. Looking up again she saw Sully staring back.

"Are you alright?" he asked, deciding to not make it overly confusing for her.

"Well except for the cuts and bruises, I feel alright." She felt pain jolt through her spine and her arms. "But tired you were right. I'll just take a nap I suppose." Carefully clutching her arms to her body she curled up on the ground.

"Okay. I'll be here." She fell asleep quickly, now used to, after weeks of capture, sleeping on dirt and rocks. Sully however, felt otherwise, always holding the need to protect her close to his heart. He quickly cut up branches and piled leaves and then lifted her onto the newly formed, makeshift bedding.

Many hours later, she woke up to see sunlight wafting through the trees, casting a soft glow around her. A light green shine emanated from all around her. It felt and looked beautiful and peaceful. Maybe she was dreaming. A sharp shooting pain went through her back. She got nervous. Where was she exactly?

"Sully?" she called out softly, then again a little louder. Turning he walked over to her and whispered, "It's okay. I'm here." She breathed a sigh of relief; it wasn't all just a dream. The sigh however quickly turned into a gasp of surprise.

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

"Got wet swimming, to catch some lunch." He replied softly, still gazing, mesmerized by her eyes. He wondered how she could always do that. Stir him up inside without even trying, just the slightest gaze sent him reeling. She shyly turned her eyes away; she couldn't stand staring into his eyes without feeling the deep and extremely inappropriate desire to kiss him.

He saw it in her eyes. She was still drawn to him as he was to her; it gave him great relief to know that. He wanted to kiss her; Sully knew she wanted to kiss him. But she had really forgotten everything about them as a couple. It nearly broke his heart. He knew better than to ask her his question, but his heart's pull was too strong to resist. As they sat in companionable silence, he broke it.

"Did they hurt you?" His mind pushed and churned. Oh, God. Please say no again. Michaela I swear if they did…

Michaela's body and mind instantly starting working to answer this question. Her mind nearly screamed Of course they hurt me! Can you not see these cuts, bruises, and injuries, everywhere?! But her heart spoke differently, No they didn't hurt me. Not like that. But they almost did. Her body shuddered at the thought. Being a doctor and just using plain logical sense she would've followed her head, but her heart seemed insistent on answering the question in its own way. As if it had known the question was coming before the question was even asked. Like she knew it would. She replied, barely above a whisper,

"No." it came out more as a breath then a response, but he heard it. Sully sharply took in a breath of air. She looked up carefully to meet his eyes. He was relieved. Of course Sully was that kind of man, he didn't think it was right for a man to hurt a woman. But his eyes held a special sparkle, a special relieved sympathy, reserved for her and she knew it. She quickly changed the subject. The way Sully looks at me makes me so nervous. But not in a bad way. Oh, why do you keep doing this to me, Sully?

"How are the children? Are they alright?"

"Yeah. They're fine, just worried sick about ya." She looked forlorn; she knew that she had been missing for a good while. Michaela looked up from the pine tree to her right, when she felt something gently slide onto her lap. A questioning look sent in Sully's direction.

"I brought ya some berries and some honeycomb. My favorite snack out in the woods." You made it my favorite food out here. Please remember.

She smiled at that. She loved learning new things about him, since he rarely revealed anything about himself. Dipping her fingers carefully in the honey she brought her hand to her mouth and slowly savored the flavor a real, honest, and good tasting food. The first in too long for her liking. All she remembered eating was dry roots and leaves. Apparently enough nutrition in them for her to survive, but the worst taste she had ever held against her lips.

Sully's heart twitched slightly. He longed to kiss her again, just like he had before. Taken her lips against his and tasting the honey flavor that still lingered in her mouth. Feeling the passion surge through his body to hers. Sully sighed, inaudibly. This was going to be a lot harder than he thought.