THE PERFECT TREE

By Linda Ellen

I thought I'd put this up, since it's almost Christmas

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman (but those people aren't using them anyway!)

December 2012 Forum Short Story Picture Challenge

I put the two pics as the cover pic for this story so you could see them. The idea is to take two pics and two quotes and make a story out of them, not exceeding 1500 words. Quotes are in bold.

"Now remember, it must be tall, and full enough to hold all of our ornaments and the candles..." Michaela fussed.

Sully smiled indulgently at his wife, largely pregnant with their second child, whom Michaela was sure would be a boy this time. He leaned over and placed a warm kiss on her lips.

"Yes, ma'am," he murmured teasingly, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Oh, I wish I could go with you," she moaned, caressing her firm, very round stomach.

"I know how ta find a good Christmas tree, Michaela. Trust me," he admonished as he reached for his jacket, though on the unseasonably warm December day he doubted he would need it. He flashed a grin at his friend, Sheriff Daniel Simon, who had come out to keep him company on the trek.

"Wish Brian coulda come, but..." Sully lamented as he opened the door.

"Yes, but he and Matthew won't be back from Denver for another week, and I just don't want to wait that long. Katie is so anxious for us to get our tree."

"Well, there's always next year," Sully returned as he headed out the door.

"Be back in a while, Dr. Mike," Daniel murmured as he smiled at his friend's wife.

"Just...make sure it's a perfect one..."

The two men rolled their eyes and shook their heads.

"Don't worry," Sully called, then pivoting he added sternly, "and don't be liftin' Katie or nothin' while I'm gone."

She met his eyes and smiled lovingly at his concern, remembering the night before when he had nearly leaped across the kitchen to keep her from picking Katie up off the floor.

"I won't," she assured with her customary half grin. He knows me too well.

The friends mounted their horses and set off for the hills beyond the barn's meadow.

OOOOOOO

The men had been searching for three hours, with Daniel pointing out spruces and pines, and Sully rejecting each one, sometimes for minute reasons. It HAD to be perfect...for her.

"Aw, come on, Sully. We've passed up at least a dozen that would do. Ya gotta pick somethin'," Daniel teased.

"It's gotta be perfect," Sully returned, tugging on his horse's reins as he trudged on toward the next stand of trees.

"Let's stop and rest a few minutes, these new boots are killin' me," Daniel called. Sully turned and met his gaze, then nodded in acquiescence and headed back toward him, grabbing his canteen off his saddle horn before settling down on a fallen log beside his friend.

Daniel, in the act of removing his left boot, turned his head and quipped with a grin, "Hope we find one before dark."

Sully met his eyes and grinned back. "Nothin' ta worry about. Just look for the North Star. Comes in handy when you lose your way," he added with a wink.

"Aw shut up," Daniel chuckled, wincing a little as he massaged his sore toes.

The men chortled together and then sat for a few minutes in easy camaraderie, just enjoying the peacefulness of the woods. Each one was glad it had turned out to be unusually warm for December, as both had experienced searching for Christmas trees trudging through knee-deep snow.

After several minutes, Daniel turned to his friend again, silently gazing at his profile.

"You're takin' this assignment awful serious, ain't ya," Daniel stated more than asked.

Sully's face transformed into its dimpled grin. "Yep."

"I understand that you wanna please her and all, but...ain't ya goin' a little overboard here, Sully?"

Sully thought back to a time years before when he and Michaela had first begun to court – and had argued. After a particularly bad falling out, Sully had gone off into the woods to sulk. But he missed her, and longed to get back into her good graces.

Sitting on a rock, he spied a dandelion gone to seed and picked it up, pursed his lips, and gently blew off the feathery wisps. His wish had been a vow – that if somehow he were fortunate enough to someday have Michaela as his own, he would do everything in his power to make her happy. Move heaven and earth, do anything she asked of him, if he was granted the right to receive her love. It was a vow he took very seriously. The only time he had broken it was the fiasco with the Indian uprising, but he had made a solemn promise to himself and to her that he would NEVER do anything like that again.

Now he pressed his lips together and shook his head. "Nope. She asked for a perfect tree, and I aim ta find it. C'mon, let's keep lookin'," he added, rising to his feet and extending a hand down to his friend.

Daniel shook his head again. "You're crazy, you know that? Plumb crazy," he chided as he slipped his boot back on, then grasped Sully's hand and allowed him to haul him to his feet.

"Yep. Crazy in love," Sully replied with a grin and a wink. The men chuckled as they continued the hunt.

Several more hours passed and finally their patience paid off – they found the absolute perfect tree. With a few well placed whacks of his tomahawk, Sully felled his prize and together they tied the trunk to Sully's saddle, glad the hunt had been successful – but was over. Gratefully, they turned their horses in the direction of the homestead.

"What do you think about Preston bein' elected mayor?" Daniel inquired as they wove their way through the trees.

"He'll find a way to line his pockets," Sully answered with a smirk.

Daniel squinted at the setting sun, urging his horse a little faster. "You don't think he's seemed a little different since he lost everythin' and had to sell his hotel?"

Sully rolled his eyes over and glanced at his gullible friend.

Daniel persisted, "Like Michaela always says, 'It takes time..."

"But one has to believe that people are good at heart," Sully finished. "I know. She always wants to see good in folks. That's one 'a the things I love most about her. But...we're talkin' 'bout Preston."

Daniel thought for a moment and chuckled. "Yeah...guess you got a point there."

Flashing a grin, Sully reached to give his friend a tap on the arm. "C'mon, let's get on back 'fore we need that North Star."

OOOOOOOO

"Oh thank you, sweetheart," Michaela gushed as the men manhandled the tree into place and she could see its magnificent shape. She glanced at Daniel and added, "And thank you, Daniel," before she stepped back and clasped her hands to her chest, staring up at the tree's perfect top branch, and imagining their glitter star shining brightly in the candlelight.

"Oh Sully! It's absolutely beautiful!" she added, reaching to give him a grateful kiss. He paused in his work to savor her affection.

Pulling back, he whispered, "You're welcome," his eyes twinkling as he added a tiny kiss to the tip of her nose. His wife's effervescent joy made the six-hour search worth every minute, and warmed him from his head to his toes, more than a roaring fire on a cold night. Sometimes he even surprised himself, the lengths to which he would go to ensure his heartsong's happiness.

"It's the best Christmas tree ever, Poppy!" Five-year-old Katie jumped up and down clapping her little hands in glee as her dark curls bounced joyfully.

"I feel badly that it took you all day..." Michaela added as she continued to gaze at her prize.

Sully grinned and drew her against his side as they stared up at the wonderfully aromatic pine. Then as if by magic, he produced a small sprig of mistletoe and held it above her head, teasing softly, "Found somethin' else, too."

She glanced up and grinned, her eyes twinkling playfully. "I was hoping you would."

She offered her lips, and he leaned down slowly, savoring her familiar feel and taste, holding her blissfully captive with his lips. This went on for several moments, his other hand unconsciously caressing the round ball of her pregnant belly, until they heard a throat being cleared and Daniel's voice teasing, "You two want some privacy?"

They broke apart chuckling as Katie began hopping from one foot to another, chanting, "Poppy's kissing Mama! Poppy's kissing Mama!"

Sully reached to scoop their little girl up in his arms, then proceeded to blow raspberries on her neck to her delighted squeals as he playfully growled, "Now Poppy's kissin' Katie!"

Daniel and Michaela looked on, chuckling fondly.

-The End.

A Merry Christmas to all.