Chapter 10

Michaels stood in front of the stove absentmindedly pushing eggs around a skillet. "I can't," She kept hearing Sully's words over and over again. Why did this bother her so much? This should be an easy answer for her. David was standing right in front of her, ready to accept her into his life again and offering to give her everything she ever dreamed. She sighed, trying to work everything out it her mind, when she realized that her eggs were scorching. She jerked the skillet off the stove, and when she did so, her elbow knocked a bowl off the counter behind her.

"Is everything alright?" Colleen poked her head from behind the dividing curtain where she was dressing.

"Yes, I just broke the serving bowl. Would you mind putting the eggs on the table for me?" Colleen stepped out from behind the curtain and dished the food into a new dish before setting them on the table.

"I got some milk for breakfast!" Brian announced making his way through the door. He looked down at his mother who was kneeling on the floor, picking up the shattered remains of the dish. "Whatcha doin' Ma?"

"Just cleaning up after my clumsy self." She laughed causing both her son and daughter to join in the smile. Matthew walked in the door behind him.

"What are you guys doin'."

"Nothin' Matthew. Can we eat now, Ma? I'm getting' hungry." Briand asked setting the milk pitcher on the table. Michaela rose to her knees.

"Yes we may. Just let me get the biscuits." She reached in and pulled out a tray of biscuits. As soon as she saw the tray her heart dropped and her shoulders slumped. Picking up one of the biscuits she held it up for everyone to see. If they hadn't known what the substance was prior to it being placed in the oven there was no way to determine that the small solid black object was any sort of bread at all. Coal possibly, but not bread. "I think we'll be doing without biscuits this morning." Again everyone at the table dissolved into laughter. Even Matthew had to hold back a smile. Michaela too smiled at her family. "I must say it is certainly good to hear you laughing. I have missed spending time with you."

Brian, taking a mouthful of eggs, looked at her. "We missed you too, Ma."

"Oh Dr. Mike, I want to show you the dress that I'm making for the Valentine's dance! Me and Becky are almost done."

"I would love to see it, Colleen."

"The only problem though is that the fabric is a little thin, and I don't know if I'll have enough to line the inside of the bodice." Michaela thought for a minute.

"Is it that pale green material you've been working with this week?" Colleen nodded, having just taken a sip of milk. "Well, I do believe my white shawl might look rather nicely with that." She looked over at her daughter only to meet her excited wide-eyed gaze.

Matthew turned to his brother as the girls were talking about dresses and asked if he were going fishing this afternoon. Brian nodded to him. "Yea, Sully's gonna take me." Michaela, having finished talking to Colleen quietly winced at Sully's name. After last night, she just wasn't in any hurry to see him soon. Colleen's ears perked up.

"I thought you were gonna take David and show him how to bate a line."

Brian shrugged, "I was, but after everything that's happened he just seemed a little busy. 'Sides, I ain't seen Sully since before Climbing Bear was hurt."

This was Michaela's opportunity. She hadn't known exactly how to broach the conversation, but now everything seemed to line up for her. She took the bait.

"What do you think about David?" Her question was posed in a very motherly voice. It was concerned and curious.

"I like him. He's kind of nice." Brian answered and Colleen nodded. Matthew, however refused to meet her stare. "Why?"

"Well, he… has asked me to marry him. I was wondering what you thought of that."

"Oh, Dr. Mike!" Colleen jumped from her chair and wrapped her arms around her Ma. Yes, she didn't really know this man, but she like what she did know, and she was more than certain that she would have time to get to know them before the wedding. She was genuinely excited for Michaela.

"I haven't told him anything yet." Michaela pulled from Colleens embrace. Glancing over at her Matthew, she knew that this was not by any means pleasing to him. He just sat there silently. Brian, although he liked David, wasn't sure if he wanted him as a Pa or not. He had thought that they were fine the way they were, him, Dr. Mike, Matthew, Colleen, and Sully. It hadn't occurred to him that this would change. When he spoke it was to ask a single question.

"Will he move in here?" Brian looked around, trying to imagine another person living in the homestead. Matthew threw a sideways glance at Michaela and noticed the uneasy look on her face. He instantly knew what the answer was, it had been the answer he seemed to be dreading since the beginning.

"Well, Brian. I imagine we'll live in Boston for a while." She instantly saw the look of horror on her youngest son's face and felt Colleen tense beside her. "Just for a while, I believe that we might be able to help the Cheyenne in the east."

"We're gonna move?" Colleen sat back in her chair.

"But Colleen you've always talked about how you want to go to Boston."

"I only want to visit. I don't want to move there!" Michaela scanned the table. Recognizing that Matthew was holding back from her, she called his name.

"I ain't goin' anywhere. If you wanna go, go. I'm staying here." Michaela started to protest, but he held up his hand. "Don't argue with me. I'm of age. I got the right." He said nothing else before he got up and left, slamming the door loudly behind me. Brian looked vacantly at his plate.

"My I be excused?" He whispered. When Michaela looked at him her face fell. He wasn't happy either. She wordlessly nodded before turning to Colleen and saying, "You may go too, I'll clean up." Both Colleen and Brian silently let the homestead, leaving Michaela sitting at the table by herself. This hadn't gone as planned, but she really wasn't sure what she had expected.

Michaela sat at the dinner table completely dazed. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on. All she knew was that an hour ago, David had arrived for dinner dressed in an army uniform, and announced that he was to leave in three days.



Michaela looked at her plate as she took a small bite of the roast beef they were having that evening. She had barely eaten anything at all. It seemed that she had spent the evening merely pushing food around her plate. She sighed. She was trying so hard not to look at him, but she was rapidly failing. It wasn't him that she wanted to avoid, but the uniform in which he wore. It was something about the smooth blue color of the uniform and the shiney new buttons that seemed to make Michaela stomach turn.

"Michaela, you've barely eaten a thing." Elizabeth's concerned voice seemed to come from her right. Michaela became instantly aware that her parents were also in the room. She needed time with him, to talk to him. She needed to understand why he was making this decision. She pushed the plate away from her slightly.

"I suppose I'm not very hungry, if you'll excuse me." She gracefully rose from her chair and hastily made her way out of the door.

David found her standing on the porch, staring at the swing they had spent so much time on.

"It's so hard to believe…" she started, but she wasn't entirely sure where she was going.

"I know it came as a shock to you." He catiously walked around Michaela so he could see into her eyes. They were filled with tears that were beginning to make their trek down her cheeks. She nodded, unable to say anything at the moment. When she did manage to speak her voice was choked out and it came in a hoarse whisper.

"Why David? I need to understand why." He took a deep break. He had known this would be a question. He wasn't quite sure what he would tell her.

"Michaela we've done so much for the abolitionist cause, but we've done it all from a far. The country is falling apart. You've read the headlines, you know what it's like out there. This is something I can't fight from a distance. I need to go and fight for what I believe."

Michaela nodded her head, trying hard to understand what he was telling her. "I can't stand by and simply watch all these men give their lives for something I believe in while I'm safe." This she could understand. There were some things that she felt so strongly on that she couldn't fight the desire to do something, to act on her emotions. As soon as Michaela had reasoned all of this out she knew that she couldn't deny him this choice. He would never forgive her, and she would never forgive herself. She took his hands in hers.

"Be safe."

"I will, and I'll be thinking about you every moment until the day I come back to you." He reached out and wiped a tear that was slowly creeping down her face.

"And when you come back we'll be married." She sniffed, smiling through her tears.

"Yes, we'll be married and we'll be able to start our lives with one another. You better be ready because we'll make every one of those dreams come true." He smiled. Oh, how was she going to live without seeing that smile every day? She knew that somehow she would find a way. If he could be so brave as to face enemy fire on a battlefield, she could be brave enough to let him go. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"You better come back to me safe and sound."

"I will, I promise."

The Dog Soldiers had made encampment for the night. After the assault by the army a few days before, they had retreated up into the mountains. However, they were now beginning to come out of hiding and make their way back toward the town. Two of their men had been left behind, but they knew that they hadn't been taken into custody by the army yet. By this time tomorrow night they would all be together again.

Michaela was standing, hunched over the injured Climbing Bear. She was listening to his chest, checking for clear airways. At this point in time even the slightest case of pneumonia could be fatal. Laying her stethoscope across the back of her neck she check her patient's pupils. She was quite pleased with the way he was progressing. It was nearly two days after the surgery, and although he hadn't become fully cognizant she could tell he was improving greatly.

Colleen was sitting on a cot behind Dr. Mike wrapping the other Cheyenne's arm. He too was beginning to improve. It would still be a while before either of them would be ready to be moved, but Michaela could see that healing was taken place much faster as before.

There was a certain amount of tension in the little room. None of her children had spoken to her other than what was necessary for basic communication. Michaela was beginning to feel the strain on her. She couldn't quite understand what had transpired. All she knew was that the entire things seemed to blow up in her face, and it would be a while before she was able to get her children feeling comfortable to the idea of living in Boston.

Suddenly the tension got to be too much for Colleen. What bothered her the most was the way her Ma seemed to just pretend that nothing was wrong. She didn't want to move away from her friends and family. The thought of having to leave Matthew and Ingrid behind was heartbreaking, and the more she thought about it, the more she didn't want her mother to marry David. She just couldn't see how things would change between everyone. They hardly ever knew this man. How were they expected to welcome him into their lives? Colleen felt her body tense as she raised her head. "You're gonna marry him, aren't ya?" She watched the way Dr. Mike looked up from the side of the bed. She looked all puzzled, like she couldn't understand why this was so wrong. Colleen felt anger flood her body.

"Excuse me?"



"David, you're gonna marry him." Michaela didn't know what to say. She certainly didn't want to upset Colleen any further, but she didn't want to lie to anyone either. Somehow the hesitation was all Colleen needed. Feeling slightly trapped, Colleen fled the room.

Brian was squatting in the dirt wielding Sully's tomahawk with both hands. He haphazardly scratched at the pile of dirt in from on him, searching for worms. He was still rather confused by what Dr. Mike had said this morning, but he was trying not to say anything. He didn't want that to bother Sully any.

Sully was sitting on a log off to the side. He had just finished restringing the line on Brian's rod, and had batted his. Glancing up to see if his friend had found anymore worms for bate, Sully couldn't help but notice that the boy seemed to be distracted. Laying the fishing rods to the side, he picked up a few rocks and began skipping them across the water. As the inventory of rocks in his hand diminished, he realized that the last rock wasn't a rock at all, but instead was just a clump of dirt.

"Brian?" Brian looked up from his position over the hole he had been nursing for nearly fifteen minutes. Sully was looking at him. His eyes were narrowed and concerned. "You ok?" Brian took the opportunity to release everything that had been going through his head that morning. He cautiously stood.

"Not really, Sully."



"What's wrong?" Brian took a deep breath as he wandered over to his confidant and sat down next to him on the log. Sully distractedly rolled the clump of dirt through his fingers.

"Dr. Mike said that David purposed to her yesterday."

"She did?" Sully knew that if she had brought it up to the children, she was seriously considering the engagement. He felt a heavy restriction sit on his chest.

"Yea, she did. She said that she hadn't made her mind up yet, but if they did get married we would have to move to Boston. I don't wanna move to Boston, Sully. I want to stay here, with you and Matthew and Miss Olive." Sully swallowed the thick bile that seemed to be rising in his throat. He didn't want Brian to see how this upset him, but it did. Why? He had been the one last night that refused to give her what she needed. He had told her that there was no reason to stay in Colorado Springs. He just couldn't offer her the things that she wanted right now. Somehow knowing this information did little to make him feel better.

"That's gotta be her decision, Brian."

"I know, I just don't think it's fair that I don't get a say." Sully wrapped his arms around his little friend.

"It might not feel like ya don't have a say, but I promise ya that Dr. Mike ain't gonna do anything that's gonna hurt ya. She's gonna think about ya when she makes her decision."



This made Brian feel slightly better, and Sully could tell how the demeanor of the younger boy changed. "Can ya find us a few more worms?"

For the first time that morning Brian smiled his familiar wide toothed grin, exposing his missing front teeth. "Yea."

Michaela was just coming downstairs when she heard the knock at the door. Pulling the door open, she was surprised to see David standing before her. He had this goofy looking grin on his face. It was a grin that she honestly hadn't seen since before he left for war. She felt heat flood her cheeks. 'oh dear, I'm acting like a young maiden,' she thought to herself, but she enjoyed the feeling. Everything had been so stressful lately, she enjoyed the lightness of this situation.

David stepped into the room and lifted her hands to his lips. "I was hoping I could take you to lunch." He whispered before planting a kiss there. It made Michaela laugh.

"Of course, I'm famished. Just let me get my bag." She stepped around the back of her desk in order to retrieve her medical bag.

As the two made their way out onto the boardwalk, Michaela paused to wait as David shut the door behind him. She turned to see a mass of blue walking toward her.

"Good afternoon, General Custer." Her eyes scanned the men flanking either side of him. She could pick out Captain Winschel as one of the men to his left, but didn't recognize the others 

quite as readily. "Your men are doing quite well this afternoon. I imagine they'll be ready to leave for camp this afternoon provided that they rest."

"Well that's wonderful to know Dr. Quinn, but that's not why I'm here."

David, having secured the door of the clinic, stepped up beside Michaela as she conversed with the general. "Then what can I do for you."

"I'm here for my prisoners."

"I'm sorry."

"My prisoners. Those Indians?" Of course. It hadn't occurred to Michaela that after the Dog Soldiers had healed they would be placed under custody of the army. Her initial instinct was to protect the two men upstairs even though she understood that the town would be much safer with them in custody. Regardless of what she decided, thought, neither men were in good enough condition to leave her care.

"I'm afraid those men are still too critical. They can't be moved quite yet."

"Dr. Quinn, I assure you that we will do our upmost best to take care of those men the way they need to be treated."



"I'm afraid that simply won't work. They need to be in a place where I can watch them constantly."

"I'm afraid that doesn't matter. We are taking our prisoners, and if you try to stop us, you will be violating the jurisdiction of the United States Army."

"That is of…" Michaela stopped speaking, shocked as a cane shot out from her right, hitting the general square in the chest.

"I believe you are wrong General. I don't believe the jurisdiction of the Army picks up until the doctor officially discharges the patient." David's voice was low, and took Michaela off guard. She had never heard him talk so harshly before. Michaela was dazed. She knew she could have handled that situation. She could have convinced Custer to leave her patients be if only for a few more days, but another part of her was glad that David had stepped in. She felt herself relax from all tension. It was ok to have someone step in every once in a while to help handle conflicts such as these, wasn't it?

General Custer glanced between the doctor and this stranger. He was rather angry by the way he was being talked to. Did this man not know who he was? However, as much as Custer wanted to bring this man down a notch or two, he also saw the determination that was in both of their eyes. Knowing he wouldn't win this fight, and not wanting to embarrass himself in front of his men he conceded.



"I'll be back in three days. At that time they're mine, regardless of what shape their in."

As Michaela and David stood watching the retreating blue figures, They once again felt the team work that had tied them so strongly together.

"Thank you." Michaela smiled to David, he was pleased with the way that had turned out.

"See I told you we hadn't changed. We're just as good as we used to be." Michaela felt the twinge of nostalgia encompass her. "To lunch?" He asked her holding out his arm. She looked at him. He always seemed to be standing up ahead, waiting on her to catch up. Was this the way it really was? Was this the way it was always going to be? She could feel how effective they were together, but was this all there was. She was sure there wasn't. There was something strange about the way he made her feel like a princess when she was with him. He doted on her hand and foot, and with him she would have the freedom to do anything she wanted. Yes, they were good together. Taking his arm, they stepped into the street.

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