AN: I'm not sure how this chapter turned out so I would love any and all feedback about this chapter and the rest of the story. Where do you think it should go next?
As they sat together on the sofa the shadows moved across the room and the evening sun set in a magnificent display of orange and red that faded into an inky purple and dark blue. Sully wasn't sure how long he held her. He only knew that he loved the feel of her in his arms. He loved to feel the rise and fall as she breathed steadily. He looked down at her face and smiled at the peaceful array of her features. All the lines and creases of concern he had seen when he first arrived were now gone. He knew it was because she was asleep but he loved it all the same. She's so beautiful…Sully's eyes drank in the site of her nestled against his chest and he tightened his grip around her petite body. He wanted to memorize the contours of her face and the feel of her body pressed against his. He imagined waking up with her in his arms every morning for the rest of his life. The thought of loving her for the rest of his life made his heart race with anticipation and excitement. He pictured her asleep in their bed with her beautiful auburn hair spread across the pillow. He saw her tenderly cradling her pregnant belly and smiling at him when he placed his hand over her stomach and their child. He saw her nursing their children with her long golden-brown hair cascading down her shoulders. He saw her sitting on the front porch of their home, her hair streaked with grey but still breathtakingly beautiful as they watched their grandchildren play in the yard. They would grow old and wrinkled together and the image made him sigh with contentment. He had found his home.
His silent reverie was interrupted by the sound of angry voices raised in a heated conversation coming from down the hall. He gently removed Michaela from his arms, replacing his body with a throw pillow. He smiled as she clutched it close to her chest as she settled on the couch without his arms around her. He pulled the blanket from the back of the couch and pulled it up around her shoulders. He lovingly brushed the hair back from her face before he left the room to figure out what all the noise was about and to hopefully get some answers.
He left the parlor and stood in the hall for a moment, trying to determine where the sound was coming from. When he had first arrived his only need was to get to Michaela and to hold her. He hadn't noticed anything about his surroundings – he only had eyes for Michaela. Now that she was safely slumbering on the couch in the room behind him, he had the opportunity to observe her childhood home.
Everything about the home was a further testament to the fact that the Quinn's came from money…old money. After her parent's had made such a generous donation, Sully knew they were wealthy but standing in the large foyer suddenly made it tangible. The paintings on the walls were originals and the plush oriental rugs covering the beautiful cherry hardwood floors were clearly very expensive. It was tasteful but shouted wealth. This is where she grew up. She grew up surrounded by beautiful, expensive things. It was a stark contrast to his childhood home. He remembered the small two bedroom apartment he had grown up in. They had the same threadbare couch the entire time he was growing up. The decorations were simple and often hand me downs or tattered family heirlooms. It was a simple home but it was filled with love. He wasn't ashamed of how he grew up but he was suddenly very aware of the differences. Could I give her everything she deserves? Would it be enough? Will Ibe enough?
While Sully was standing in the hall lost in his own thoughts and taking in his surroundings, Martha silently watched him from door to the kitchen. She had witnessed the emotional encounter between Sully and Michaela earlier. She saw the way Michaela melted into his arms and he held her as if it was they were reuniting after a long spa ration. He looked at her like a man dying of thirst and she was a cool well of water. She knew this man loved Michaela. I hope he just doesn't rush her. Michaela needs to time to stand on her own before she gets involved in relationship. Martha watched as the emotions flashed across Sully's face. She saw uncertainty, anxiety, confusion, surprise, compassion. She cleared her voice and smiled gently when she saw Sully jump slightly.
"Mr. Sully…I presume. Can I help you?"
"It's actually just Sully. Um…I was just wondering where Dr. Quinn…er…Dr. Joseph Quinn, that is. Do you know where I can find him?" He was annoyed with himself for getting so flustered. He had done nothing wrong. Besides, I'm here for Michaela. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.
"I believe he is in his study with Mrs. Quinn. It's at the end of the hall on the right." She gestured down the hall towards the back of the house. Sully nodded his thanks and walked determinedly down the hall. As he neared the door he could easily determine which door led to the study as the sound of voices steadily grew louder. He heard Michaela's mother interrupt Joseph;
"Joseph…calm down. You saw Michaela, she was dead tired when she came home. Let's give her some time with Mr. Sully before we barge in and demand answers."
"I can't believe you left her alone with him. Do we know anything about him?" Sully's anger started to rise at the question. It was a male voice he didn't recognize.
"Everett, really! You heard what mother said about their greeting. And look at the picture; he is clearly defending her, not assaulting her. We all simply need to calm down and wait for them to come to us." interjected a woman. Sully relaxed slightly; at least he had one ally. I don't know what the history is between Michaela and David but it's obviously not good. Her family is just concerned and can I blame them? They don't know anything about me and I just show up on their doorstep…Sully knocked on the door and opened it slightly, sticking his head in.
He was somewhat surprised at the size of the assembled group. Dr. and Mrs. Quinn where seated in twin wingback chairs by the fireplace. Two women sat on the couch situated under the large window, one was pregnant and had her feet propped up on a footstool. A third woman was sitting on the edge of Joseph's desk. They were middle aged, impeccably dressed and all resembled Michaela in different ways. It was her eyes or hair or smile that jumped out at him in each of their faces that told him these were her sisters. A man was seated behind Joseph's desk and two others paced the room. Presumably these were her brothers in law.
One of her sister's immediately stood from the couch and opened the door widely. "Mr. Sully, I'm Rebecca, Michaela's favorite older sister". Her smile and the teasing look in her eyes reminded him of Michaela. He followed her into the room and took the offered seat. With eight pairs of eyes on him, Sully tried not to show his discomfort. Rebecca could see Sully's growing unease and tried to alleviate the tension in the room,
"Mr. Sully, thank you for coming this afternoon when Michaela needed you. Mother told us how you were able to calm and comfort her. We all worry and care for her very much." Sully looked around the room and made eye contact with every single person before he responded,
"It's nothing. Michaela needed me so I'm here." He didn't know it but Sully couldn't have said anything better to begin to calm their fears. It told them so much about the kind of man Sully was: caring, selfless, generous, dependable. All things David wasn't. Everett still wasn't convinced. He moved from his position under the window to stand behind his pregnant wife. He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at Sully in what he hoped was an intimidating glare,
"I think you owe us an explanation. What happened that night and why are you in that photo? What's going on between you and Michaela?" Marjorie placed her hand over Everett's where it rested on her shoulder in a soothing gesture.
"Now Everett, there's no need to be so rude. I'm sure Mr. Sully would be more than happy to tell us what happened that night and I imagine he has a few questions of his own…?" Both Marjorie and Rebecca smiled encouragingly at Sully. Elizabeth stood, giving both Everett and Richard a look that told them Behave! The two men exchanged a quick look before settling their gaze on Sully. They weren't quite ready to trust him but they were willing to listen to what he had to say. Taking a deep breath Sully began his story,
"I understand you're protective of Michaela but I would never do anything to hurt her. That picture is somewhat accurate. I heard David muttering something and saw him follow Michaela out of the ballroom. I don't know why but I followed him to make sure everything was alright. I found Michaela in the hall and David had her pinned against the wall…he was yellin at her and I could see that his grip on her arms was hurting her. ….I don't know what happened but suddenly I was pullin him off her and starin him down. If it hadn't been for Michaela I may have actually hurt the jerk." Sully quickly told them what happened after that. He could see the disbelief and horror dance across the women's faces. He saw Joseph lean forward and put his head in his hands. Richard, Everett and Joshua started to pace again as the anger in them grew. When Sully had finished his story the study was silent and thick with emotional tension. Joseph was the first to speak;
"Mr. Sully…Sully…thank you. Thank you for stepping in and dealing with David. I'm only sorry you had to do it."
"Dr. Quinn, I'm only grateful that I was there and able. Michaela didn't seem to think he would really hurt her but I wasn't about to test that theory." The room grew even more silent as everyone contemplated what could have happened if Sully hadn't been there to interfere. Sully broke the silence, "What I would like to know is who is David and why would he attack Michaela like that?"
In the parlor Michaela was stirring. As her mind struggled through the fog to wake up something felt off. She was lying on her side clutching a pillow but that didn't seem right. The pillow lacked warmth and vitality that she had felt as she fell asleep. She struggled to remember what had happened when she returned home from the hospital. Slowly, in bits and pieces it returned to her. Her parent's waiting in the foyer. The newspaper with the photo of her with David. The article. Her phone ringing. Sully. Sully! And just like that her mind was fully alert, even though her eyes were still closed. Anyone passing by would have thought she was still wrapped in the embrace of the most peaceful slumber. She remembered him silently holding her when he arrived and how she suddenly felt safe and untouchable. She placed her hand on her check where she had pressed herself against his chest. The steady thumping of his heart reminded her of the metronome she had used as a child. It steadied her own heart beat and anchored her.
She groggily opened her eyes and was startled to find that she was alone. He wouldn't have left without saying goodbye, would he? Michaela looked around the room slightly confused, looking for any hint of his whereabouts. I must have been dead to the world if I missed him getting up. Her thoughts returned to his strong arms soothingly stroking her back and the way she clung to him tightly. The door to the parlor was opened the smallest bit but she didn't see or hear anyone moving around. She was sure her father and quite possibly to rest of her family was ensconced in the study discussing the 'situation'. Michaela quickly crossed the room and wandered down the hall. She could hear voices coming from her father's study, among them Sully's. Oh no…what are they saying to him? She wasn't quite ready for them to lay into Sully just yet. She wasn't even sure what they were to each other. She hesitated at the door when she heard her father's voice;
"…so you see Mr. Sully, after all that has happened with David in the past and in light of what you have told us about the Gala, I hope you can understand why we're all concerned about Michaela. We simply want to protect her." Instantly Michaela became irritated. I'm a grown woman…I don't need protecting! Before she could enter the room she heard Everett interject,
"We don't mean any disrespect and we appreciate all you've done for Michaela but we don't want to see her get hurt and well…we don't know you. How can we trust you?" Michaela could feel the heat and irritation grow but was soothed when she heard Sully's calming bass voice,
"I understand why you may not want to trust me but if you think Michaela needs protectin', you're wrong. She's stronger than you give her credit for. Do I want to make sure that nothing bad ever happens to her? Of course I do but does she need me or any one of us hovering over her and worrin' about her? If you really believe that, then you don't know really know her." Michaela was touched and amazed at how well this man knew her. It's true, she could deal with all of the drama with David and William on her own but she felt better when she shared her burden with Sully. It frightened her how much she relied on him already. What if he doesn't stick around….Suddenly Michaela remembered where he was staying…the hotel. What happens when he goes home? The thought of not being in the same city as him, sharing a life with him, made her ache but she couldn't dwell on that right now. She needed to put a stop to this conversation. Taking a deep breath she pushed opened the door to her father's study. Everyone turned to see who was intruding on their private family council.
It was interesting to see the different reactions Michaela's presence produced in each face. Joseph's worry lined face simply grew tighter with anxiety. He was having a difficult time letting go of his baby girl. He was upset about the photo and all he heard regarding David but he knew Michaela would get through that. It was more difficult for him to realize that this man standing in front of him had taken his place as Michaela's primary supporter and advocate. Even when she was with David, Michaela had always relied on Joseph for emotional and professional support. It didn't take a genius to see how she reacted to Sully and how she was coming to rely on him. I suppose I should be grateful….it would seem he only wants what is best for Mike and he seems to know her better than the rest of us.
Elizabeth, Marjorie, Rebecca and Maureen were all watching Michaela with interest. The sisters had heard Elizabeth's retelling of the encounter in the foyer earlier this afternoon. They were eager to judge for themselves how the two interacted. The brothers-in-law watched Michaela protectively. They weren't quite ready to trust this stranger. Though the reactions differed, all showed the depth of love and concern each person felt for Michaela.
Michaela glanced around the room but truly only had eyes for Sully. She quickly walked to his side and entwined her fingers with his. Gazing into the depths of her green eyes he tucked her hair behind her ear,
"How was the nap?" she smiled as she stared back into the depths of his beautiful blue eyes. I slept better in your arms than I have in the past four months she wanted to tell him but settled for the less intimate,
"Best nap I've had in quite a while" she smiled back at him cheekily. Her sisters quickly exchanged knowing glances at each other. Everett was growing increasingly uncomfortable and cleared his throat loudly, drawing Michaela's attention back to the group gathered.
"I appreciate your collective concern but I really do wish you wouldn't talk about me as if I was a child. Sully is right…" she paused to look at him quickly and received a reassure squeeze on her hand. "I don't need you to protect me. Support me, yes, but I don't need protection. I will deal with David on my own and in my own way." Richard picked up the paper with her photo splashed on the cover and held it out to her,
"Just how do you intend to handle this?"
Michaela squared her shoulders and once again made eye contact with every person in that room. "I'm not going to do anything about it and neither are any of you" she looked at Richard with particular severity. She knew this would be difficult for them to understand and accept – particularly Richard and Everett.
"You don't mean to let him get away with this, do you? After all he's done to hurt, degrade and insult you?" Everett asked angrily.
"Everett….he didn't insult you. He insulted me. He didn't hurt you. He broke my heart. He humiliated me. Not you, me! If anyone in this room has the right to decide how this situation will be handled it's me! I'm the one that has to accept the fact that I almost married a man that I hardly knew. I have the bruises on my arm! Not you, not Richard. ME!" Everyone was startled by the anger in Michaela's voice. Once again it was Sully's comforting voice that brought her back and anchored her in the present.
"Michaela…we'll support you however you choose to respond to this article." Sully quickly looked back at Everett and Richard and fixed a withering stare at both of them. Not easily intimidated, both men quickly lowered their gaze, ashamed of their collective took yet another deep breath to calm her racing heart.
"…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my voice. But I mean it. There will be no response to this from anyone in the family." After receiving a quick nod of agreement from everyone Michaela continued, "besides, I don't even think David is responsible for this."
Everyone looked around, confusion, anger and anxiety written across their faces. Elizabeth found her voice first,
"If it's not David….who then?" Michaela looked at her mother briefly before being drawn back to Sully's eyes. She felt the security of his presence wash over her. Somehow she knew it was the two of them before anyone else. Without breaking eye contact she answered her mother softly yet firmly,
"It's Stephen." Sully wasn't sure who this Stephen was but from the collective intake of breath from the room around him he knew that when he came face to face with Stephen, and he would, he wouldn't care for what he discovered. Without considering they were surrounded by his family, Sully pulled Michaela into the protective enclosure of his arms. She wrapped her arms around his torso and pulled herself to him and rested her head against his chest. The constant thumping of his heart had the same calming effect as earlier. She breathed in the smell of him, trying to commit it to memory. It was soap, aftershave and something she couldn't quite place. It brought back memories of their family trips to the cabin.
Sully breathed in Michaela's now familiar aroma. Honeysuckles and sunshine. Home. He held her as her family quietly left the room. He could feel the tension slowly leave her body as she fully relaxed her body against his. He loved the soft contours of her curves as they fit against his body. It was like two pieces of a puzzle – they fit together perfectly. He gently rubbed her back. He worried about what they would have to face. He wasn't sure why but he felt as if she would slip away from him at a moment's notice. He instinctively tightened his embrace protectively. As if there was a demon or marauder lurking in the shadows that would separate them forever.
The only light in the room was from the roaring fire and the Tiffany lamp on a side table. The moon was hidden behind a mass of clouds and the night sky was an inky black. Michaela watched mesmerized as the shadows from the fire dance across the walls. Unlike Sully, she did not feel anxiety, fear or uncertainty. She felt quite the opposite. In his arms she felt safe and sure of herself. She knew whatever the future held they would face it together. As Sully tightened his embrace she sighed slightly, I could stay like this forever, never moving.
The soft click of the study door quietly closing behind a smirking Rebecca echoed off the walls. Michaela jumped a little and looked around the room quickly before being drawn into the deep pools of blue of Sully's eyes. In the firelight they looked almost grey as they searched Michaela's. She wanted to pull away, look away but couldn't. It was as if she was fixed to the spot as a statue.
Sully's eyes plunged deeper into the mysterious depths of Micheala's…searching. He didn't want to rush her or force anything on her, yet he was having a difficult time controlling the growing urge to kiss her. Sully cupped Michaela's face gently with his hand. She closed her eyes and sighing deeply turned her face into the palm of his hand, sweetly kissing the palm and then wrist. Sully's heart stuck in his throat as he watched in wonder. Framing her face with his hands he turned her head, forcing her to look at him. He saw his own desire mirrored in her eyes.
Slowly, ever so slowly, he inched his mouth towards her and gently pressed his lips against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Needing to be closer, needing to feel as much of him as she could. Her body molded against his as she increased the pressure and passion against his lips. His hands dropped to her waist and explored the curves of her waist and hips. He slowly ran his tongue against her lips and she returned by allowing him to explore her mouth more intimately. As he did so she ran her hands through his hair.
They pulled apart briefly but only in order to take a quick breath. Sully trailed tender kisses down her jaw to her ear. She moaned softly as he nibbled and then sucked on her earlobe. Michaela leaned back slightly to give him access to her neck and collarbone. He placed reverential kisses across her upper chest and worked his way back up to her other ear, giving it the same attentions as its counterpart. Hungrily, Michaela captured his lips with her own and deepened their kiss. Their lips moved in a rhythm completely new and yet utterly familiar.
Sully's reaction was instantaneous. It was as if his nerves were fully awake for the first time. He wanted to remember this moment for the rest of his life. He heard with more clarity and felt more acutely. He loved the taste of her. Her exhilarating scent filled his head. His heart was racing has she ran her hands down his back and lightly grazed his backside.
They broke apart, hearts racing, breathing heavily. Sully closed his eyes as he moved his forehead to rest against hers. Michaela's mind was racing as quickly as her heart. I hardly know him! I can't believe that just happened. Even has she worried about the meaning about what had just happened; she felt a calm pervade her body. Sully guided her to the sofa and pulled her down to rest her head on his chest as they had earlier in the parlor. She pressed soft kisses into the crook of his neck as she settled her head there.
It was a perfect moment for both of them. Neither had felt such peace, contentment or love. They weren't ready to put a name to what they were feeling just yet, but both knew this wasn't a passing fancy. Something to keep him entertained while in town or help her get over name they were able to put to it, what they felt was real. More real than anything they had felt before. But tonight wasn't the time for declarations. Tonight they simply held each other and watched as the shadows danced across the room.
