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.
After Washington
This short story takes place directly following A Washington Affair. In the last scene of the show they board the train for home… the story picks up there.
The train rumbled on through the countryside moving further away from Washington with eachpuff of smoke. The sun had set hours ago and the lamps had been lit. Michaela sat across from Sully in the train compartment her medical journal open in front of her. She had read the same paragraph at least four times and still she wasn't sure what it had said. Her mind was preoccupied with the past week's events as well as with thoughts of Sully. Momentarily, she glanced across at him as the need to talk to him, to be close to him seemed to overwhelm her.
Brian had eagerly taken the seat next to Sully but Michaela couldn't blame him. The last few days had been extremely rough on everyone. A shiver ran along her spine as she thought about the day they had stood outside the jail and heard Sully sentenced to die. It was hard enough hearing those terrible words for herself but seeing the children's reactions had completely undone her. The awfulness of that moment swelled inside of her and threatened to pull her in. Looking over at Sully again, she reminded herself he was safe now and that they would never have to deal with this again.
Everything had happened so quickly since Sully had saved the president's life that they hadn't really had a chance to talk or be alone together. The children hovered near both of them constantly. They each sensed how close they had come to losing their family and they wanted to be together as much as possible. Michaela enjoyed having the children close and she knew they needed that reassurance but she couldn't help to wish for a few uninterrupted moments with Sully.
Sully turned his head towards Michaela and realized she was watching him. Michaela blushed having been caught looking and she quickly returned to her journal. Sully let out a light laugh and looked down at Brian who had cuddled up against him. Lovingly he stroked the boys arm hoping he would soon drift off to sleep. Colleen was still reading but Matthew had already closed his eyes and leaned back against the cushion. There were so many things he wanted to say to Michaela. They hadn't had a second alone to talk since he had been cleared. He needed to apologize, to thank her – he needed to be close to her. He needed to know that she had forgiven him completely for his deception. So many times he had almost told her about his time in the army but something always held him back. There had been a fear that she would think less of him for deserting or that she would somehow think of David if he brought it up. He knew that she loved him with her whole heart. Why else would she risk everything she did to save his life and then free him? Yet he knew there were still things to deal with and he was anxious to start that process.
1Michaela looked over at Brian and saw his eyes begin to droop. Her heart sped up a little as she considered the possibility that the children would soon be asleep giving her and Sully a chance to talk. Shifting slightly in the seat, she looked over at the other two. Matthew's eyes were closed and his head had lolled to one side. Colleen seemed to be the holdout as she knew that Brian would be asleep in minutes.
"Sully will ya tell me a story?" Brian asked as he laid his head down on Sully's leg.
"Okay, let me think for a minute," Sully responded looking across at Michaela and seeing his own disappointment reflected in her eyes. The perfect story came to mind as he considered Michaela. "Have I ever told you the story of Oestone'e?"
Brian yawned widely. "No," he said sleepily. "What does that word mean?"
"It is a name. It means sacrifice woman," Sully explained.
"A girl story?" Brian asked screwing his face up.
"The main character is a girl but it's not a girl story I assure ya." Sully looked across at Michaela and noticed she had closed her medical journal. He was glad she was planning to listen. He wanted her to hear the story too. "Ya willin' to give it a chance."
"Alright," Brian said as he turned onto his side.
Sully smiled and began to softly stroke Brian's cheek. "The Cheyenne say that many years ago there was a great chief who had lost all of his sons in battle. The only child left to him was a beautiful young daughter who was very dear to him. He chose her husband with great care and held a wedding feast in their honor. All the people came and there was much rejoicing as the maiden and young warrior were loved by all the people. Their own love for each other was extraordinary and the people said they never saw a husband and wife more devoted to each other. Yet not long after their wedding feast, a terrible sickness came upon their village." Sully paused here as Brian's eyes had already closed. Sully shook his head and looked up at Michaela. "Should I continue?" he asked her softly.
"Yeah, Sully," Brian answered as he sat back up on the seat his eyes wide open. Michaela let out a small giggle and Sully pressed his lips together to avoid laughing. "What's funny, ma?"
"Nothing Brian, why don't you lay back down while Sully finishes his story." Watching as Brian took her advice, she couldn't help but wish that she was in his place. Sully moved his hand back to Brian's cheek and Michaela closed her eyes imagining that Sully was caressing her cheek instead. Sully watched as Michaela chewed on her bottom lip and was intrigued by the slight blush that played across her cheeks.
"Sully?" Brian asked raising his head again.
"Sorry," Sully mumbled before hastily getting back to the story. "The sickness brought great sorrow to the village as the children and very old began to die. Yet soon it was not only the weaker members of the tribe who were affected. Strong men came down with the sickness as well. They say you could hear the wailing of the woman from far away the sadness was so great."
"They needed someone like Ma," Brian interjected.
Sully smiled down at him and gently ruffled his hair. "If ya let me finish the story you'll see they got someone like your Ma."
"Sorry," Brian said sheepishly turning back onto his side.
"The chief called all the old men, all the warriors and all the medicine men to come to a great council to discuss the problem. All agreed that the Great Spirit was angry with the people but none knew what to do. Finally from the back of the assembly, a very old medicine man arose and began to speak. He said, 'I have seen many summers and snows pass and soon I will go to be with my grandfathers. My grandfather was a medicine man and so was my father. They both believed that only a terrific sacrifice can satisfy the wrath of the Great Spirit. We must ask all of those in the tribe to give up something to the Great Spirit.' So the next day the chief gathered the people and gave them the medicine man's instructions. All that day people brought out what they would give up to the Great Spirit and that night they offered it up to him but in the morning still more had died. The chief decided their sacrifices must be more precious to them and so again he called for the people to offer up their most valuable things to the Great Spirit. Again the people listened to the chief but still the sickness remained."
"Why didn't the Great Spirit accept their sacrifices Sully?" Brian interrupted.
Sully exhaled loudly a little frustrated with Brian's sudden alertness. "Guess your story is too interesting," Michaela said as she read Sully's expression.
"I like it," Brian said giving Michaela a puzzled look. "Keep goin'."
"That night the young warrior became very sick and his wife sat by his side tenderly caring for him. Her father did not know how to appease the Great Spirit and she feared that her husband along with the village would slowly pass away. She looked down into the face of her lover and knew what she must do. That night she climbed the cliff overlooking the water where the people had left their offerings to the Great Spirit. She raised her hands to the sky and said to the Great Spirit 'You are angry with my people. Will you make this sickness go away if I give you my life? Only love and peace and purity are in my heart. If you will accept me as a sacrifice let some token hang in the sky so that I may know my death will not be in vain.' Just then she saw the moon coming up over the trees. It was her token." Sully looked down noticing Brian had again closed his eyes. Unwilling to take the chance that he was till awake he continued his story.
"Closing her eyes, she jumped. The next morning, the people rejoiced as everyone had recovered but the chief's daughter could not be found anywhere. The medicine man knew though what she had done and told the people who found her on the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. There was great sadness at her death and her husband wept bitter tears for his love. Then her Father asked the Great Spirit for some token that his daughter had been welcomed into the land of the spirits and almost at once they heard the sound of water from above. The people looked up and saw a stream of water coming over the edge of the cliff floating down into a beautiful waterfall. For many summers the white water dropped from the cliff into the pool below. They say that sometimes in winter the spirit of the young warrior and the beautiful maiden come back to see the waterfall. Dressed in white she stands at one side of the falls her lover on the other and they look at the place where she made her great sacrifice saving her lover and her people from death." Sully smiled as he finished noticing that Brian had completely relaxed against him, his breathing deep and even.
Michaela glanced over again at Colleen but she still held the book firmly in front of her face and seemed as glued to it as ever. Michaela thought about telling her that she needed to get some sleep but knew that with several days journey on the train there would be plenty of time to sleep. She sighed audibly and picked her medical journal back up forcing herself to focus on the article she had been reading. When she finally made her way through the article, she glanced over at Colleen again. The book lay on her chest but her hands had dropped to her side. She had fallen asleep reading. Michaela smiled and leaned over to remove the book. As she closed it and placed it on the seat, she looked over at Sully expectantly but the sight that greeted her was disappointing. His head rested against the wall of the train compartment and his eyes were closed. The look on his face was so peaceful and for that she was glad but a little disappointed at the same time.
"Michaela," Sully whispered his eyes flickering open.
"Go back to sleep Sully. I'm just turning down the lamps."
"I wasn't asleep," he admitted. "Just restin' my eyes." Michaela felt her heart skip a beat as she stood and dimmed the lamp. When she turned back around Sully was maneuvering Brian's head out of his lap and resting it on the seat. Careful so not to wake Brian he stood up.
"Where are you going?" Michaela asked anxiously.
"Right here," Sully said sitting down in the place where Michaela had been seated moments earlier. He sat sideways with his back against the wall and patted the space in front of him. "Ya gonna sit down?"
Michaela felt her cheeks warm but moved quickly to sit beside him. Though she longed to snuggle in close to him she was afraid of being too forward and so she moved closer to Colleen. Nervously she played with the material on her skirt.
"I won't bite," Sully teased encouraging her to move closer. Michaela moved towards him some but there was still a space separating them. Sully leaned towards her and whispered close to her ear, "Don't wanna wake the children." His warm breath tickled her and she scooted even closer.
"That was a nice story," she whispered "but you told Brian they were going to get a doctor."
"No I said they were gonna get someone like you," Sully corrected her.
Michaela gave him a puzzled look. "Who was like me?"
"Oestone'e. She gave her own life to save that of her lover and her tribe." Sully looked into her eyes; the expression on his face was serious. "You risked everything for me Michaela. You saved my life, you cleared my name," Sully hesitated feeling tears sting his eyes. "I didn't deserve it but ya did it anyway."
Michaela heard his voice crack and without giving it a second thought she took his hand in hers. "Sully of course you deserved it. You were an innocent man. None of it was your fault."
Sully shook his head. "That's not what I meant." He paused again to compose himself before continuing. "There were so many times I almost told ya about my time in the army. I was so ashamed of what I'd done. I didn't know if ya'd understand." His voice drifted off again but Michaela sensed he was not done speaking. She felt him tighten the hold on her hand. "When they arrested me, the only thing I was worried about was you. I didn't want ya to find out like this. I should have told ya myself but…I was scared."
"Scared of what Sully?"
"That I might lose ya."
Michaela turned in the seat now to face him fully. She released his hand and brought both hands up to frame his face. The wetness on his cheeks made her eyes begin to tear up. "You'll never lose me," she whispered willing him to feel the depth of her love. A small sob escaped his lips. Without hesitating she leaned towards him and kissed his closed eyelids tasting the saltiness of his tears.
"I know that now," he replied. Michaela started to pull away but Sully wrapped his arms around her. "Don't go," he whispered softly against her ear. Michaela gave into the desire she had been feeling all night by completely closing the remaining distance between them. Laying her head against his chest she enfolded him in her arms. Michaela stilled herself against him and Sully took comfort in having the woman he loved so close. The compartment grew silent and Michaela could hear Sully's rhythmic breathing. She raised her head slightly to see if he had drifted off to sleep. "What?" he asked his voice sounding more upbeat now.
"I was checking to see if you were asleep."
Sully let out a light laugh. "I was wondering the same thing about ya." Pulling his left arm free he raised his hand to caress her cheek. Michaela closed her eyes reveling in the feel of his hand on her skin. "What are ya thinkin'?" Sully asked intrigued by the look that was on her face.
"Earlier when you were stroking Brian's cheek to help him fall asleep," she began. Her shyness took control and she suddenly felt unable to finish the sentence.
"Tell me," Sully implored her as he lowered his head to rest against her other cheek.
"I wished it was me." Her voice was barley audible but Sully heard her. Quickly he pulled back and looked down at her as his desire got the best of him. Descending upon her lips he pressed her body closer to his as if he was trying to meld their bodies into one. Michaela pulled back a little from the first kiss. "Sully, the children," she reminded him.
"They're asleep," he replied desperate to feel her lips on his again.
"But they might wake up and catch us."
"What? Kissin?" he playfully asked. "They've seen us kiss before."
"Not like this," she replied but this time her tone was noticeably lighter.
"I figure they might as well get used to it."
"Why?" Michaela asked unable to conceal her grin any longer.
"Cause after we're married I might not be able to control myself."
"Sully!" she exclaimed swatting him on the arm. Her voice was louder than she intended and she instantly covered her mouth.
"Shh!" Sully placed his finger to his lips. "Don't wake them. I've been dying to get ya alone all day."
"Well we are sort of alone, what did you have in mind Mr. Sully?"
"Somethin' like this," he said leaning in to kiss her forehead.
"Umm," Michaela said. "Is that all?"
"And then somethin' like this." This time he placed a kiss to the tip of her nose.
"Ya wanted to get me alone for that?" she asked.
"I'm not done," he whispered against her ear. He pressed his heated lips to her lobe wondering what it would be like to taste her flesh. Throwing caution to the wind, he lightly sucked on her earlobe and was immediately rewarded with a gasp from Michaela. Feeling emboldened, he ran his tongue down her neck and then kissed his way back up to her earlobe. "Better?" he asked.
Michaela opened her mouth but speech seemed beyond her at the moment. No one had ever made her feel like Sully did. David had kissed her many times but his kisses were nothing like Sully's. His kisses awoke the passion that always seemed to lay just under the surface when he was around. Michaela felt slightly wicked for enjoying the way his tongue felt against her skin but she dismissed those thoughts, anxious to feel it again. Sully moved his head away from her when she didn't say anything in response but the look on her face immediately put him at ease.
"I have a confession to make," Michaela said.
"I'm listenin'."
"I've been dying to get you alone all day too," she confessed. Whether it was the heightened emotion of the last few days or the fact that she had come so close to losing him, she let go of some of her inhibitions and took the initiative. Promptly she closed the distance between them longing to feel his lips upon hers. Sully's heart raced as she neared his lips and he eagerly anticipated what was to come. Michaela teased him by placing light kisses to the sides of his mouth, first the right and then the left. One hand still encircled him but the other she brought around to caress his cheek. Slowly her hand moved over his cheek and then back against his ear. She followed the curve of his earlobe with her fingers before letting her hand fall to his chest. Feeling the bare skin under her fingertips where his shirt lay open sent tingles down her spine. Finally she brought her lips down to his.
Sully had never seen Michaela quite like this but he certainly didn't mind. He flicked his tongue out and she immediately opened her mouth to him. The feel of her fingertips on his bare chest inflamed him and he let out a soft moan. The sound frightened and emboldened Michaela all at the same time. She felt so inexperienced when it came to love, that she always worried she wouldn't please him. The sound of pleasure escaping his lips let her know she had pleased him and it thrilled her. At the same time, she knew things were quickly escalating and she was frightened at the depth of passion he awoke within her. Sully raised his hand to her collar and undid the topmost button. Slipping his hand under her collar he encircled her neck pressing her into him. If it was possible the kiss deepened as each felt their pulses race.
"Ma?" Brian's voice called from the other side of the compartment. Rapidly they pulled away from each other gasping for breath.
"What is it Brian?" Michaela returned trying hard to control her voice. She looked over at him but could barely make out his face in the dimmed compartment.
"I need a drink of water," he replied his voice heavy with sleep.
"I'll get it," Sully said reaching down to the floor to find his canteen. He opened it and offered it to Brian. "Here ya go."
After a quick sip, the young boy handed it back to Sully and then promptly laid his head back down returning to sleep. Sully settled back against the seat.
"Do you think he saw us?" Michaela asked feeling guilty for having let things go so far with the children so close.
"Nah, it's too dim in here."
"Good," Michaela breathed feeling her body relax. Sully reached over and touched the back of her hand before interlacing his fingers with hers and raising it to his lips. His lips brushed against her knuckles as he placed a gentle kiss there.
"Thank you," he whispered.
"For what?"
"For saving my life, for clearing my name, for forgiving me, for loving me."
"I will always love you," Michaela assured him. "Nothing in the past is going to come between us again. No more secrets okay?"
"No more," Sully agreed as he started to stand.
"Where are you going?"
"I was gonna move back over by Brian," he explained.
"Would you stay?" she asked.
"Or course. I thought maybe you wouldn't…"
Michaela raised her finger to his lips to quiet him. "I want to sleep in your arms," she replied.
"I'll hold you all night," he whispered back. Sully again turned slightly in the seat so that Michaela could relax back against him. She laid her head on his chest and curled her feet up on the seat. Sully's arms encircled her and she breathed in deeply feeling completely content. Not another word was spoken between them for the only comfort they now needed was the feel of the other. Gently the train rode on through the night lulling them both into a deep peaceful sleep.
Hope you enjoyed this short story! Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.