Chapter 10: Confrontation

Hearts pounding and eyes wide open, Michaela and Sully watched as the dog the officers were following dodged down one road after another, leading them on what seemed to be a wild goose chase. But, before too long, the dog began to slow, and finally, they were coming into a quiet part of town. He ducked into an alleyway, and the four in the car got out with caution. They stood, listening, as the dog continued to bark. Officers Simmons and Hammers drew their guns, and Michaela flinched at the sight of the sun glinting on the silver weapons.

The dog's barks quieted, only to be replaced by a baby's cries. Instantly, Michaela and Sully both recognized that familiar wail, and they shot off into the alley despite the protests of the wary police officers. Running through the dim alley, Sully was right ahead of Michaela, and she found herself slowing from exhaustion and from the aches her body still had from the delivery. But still, she kept up as best as she could, and as Landon's cries neared, Michaela pushed her pain aside to get to him. She reached him first, kneeling down on the ground in front of the baby carrier.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. My baby. Oh sweetheart…" She unstrapped him and lifted the tiny infant from his restraints. She knew that handsome little face anywhere, and that soft, brown hair. She held him close to her, keeping him warm and safe. He began to calm, and Sully knelt down. Michaela collapsed against him, holding their child and sobbing from relief, from anxiety, from exhaustion. Sully leaned against the brick wall, and he buried his head against the back of her shoulder, holding his arms protectively around her.

"It's over," he whispered. "It's over." He rested his chin on her shoulder and peered down at their son. He had calmed tremendously, and now he was merely squirming, hungry and in need of a change.

Sully closed his eyes, saying a prayer of thanks that his son was alive and safe. A whimper from close by got his attention. The dog sat there, watching the family as if something were familiar about the scene. He lowered his head, sniffing the ground before looking back at them.

"Thank you," Sully murmured. "You're a good dog." He reached out tentatively, his fingers trembling. The dog came forward, barely brushing his nose against Sully's fingertips before nuzzling the palm of his hand. Sully scratched the dog behind the ears before returning his full attention to his wife and son. "He's ok? No scratches? Bruises?"

"He's fine," she whispered, sniffling to fight off the tears. She smiled, kissing her baby's forehead. "Let's just get him out of here." Sully helped her stand, and keeping his arms around her, they walked out of the dark alley to be greeted by two very shocked officers. Officer Hammers called the rest of the group that'd been out on the hunt for Emily and Landon. He informed them that Landon was found safe, and they were bringing him in to the hospital. Michaela placed Landon down on a blanket in the back of the patrol car, and she examined him, finding no injuries. "I want to take him to the hospital…to be sure," she said worriedly.

"We'll take care of everything," Officer Simmons assured her. Michaela scooted into the car, holding the baby close. Sully shook Officer Simmon's hand and then Officer Hammers'."

"Thanks for your help. If ya hadn't known to follow that dog…well, we wouldn't have found our boy."

"Hey," Simmons said with a shake of his head, "the dog's the hero here." The dog, sitting in the alley, perked up his ears.

"You're right." Sully crouched down, and he whistled. "C'mere, boy." The dog timidly walked out into the sunlight, his tongue lolling out. "C'mere. Good boy." The dog sat down in front of him, and he reached out, patting his head again.

"What're we gonna do about him?" Hammers asked. "Call animal control?" Sully looked at the dog, worn out and dirty, and obviously in need of a good meal. This dog had just helped them rescue their son after a frightening ordeal. He couldn't just let him be sent off to some animal prison and await either a family or death.

"No, don't do that," he said quickly. "He needs a vet."

"Well, you're right about that," Simmons said with a nod. "Let's get that dog to a vet, alright, Hammers?"

"Me?"

"Well, I think you can handle it."

"C'mon…a dog?"

"Yeah. That's right. And I'll give the chief nothin' but good reports about you when we get back." Hammers raised an eyebrow.

"Alright. C'mon, dog." He patted his leg, but the dog wouldn't budge. He peered into the back of the car.

"Don't worry, fella. He's gonna be alright, thanks to you," Sully said with a smile, scratching the dog's ears again. "You're gonna get taken good care of, alright? Now I gotta go take care of my son." The dog stood and looked up at Hammers, and Hammers raised an eyebrow.

"Here comes another car," Simmons said. "They'll take ya where ya need to go. I expect that dog to get a good meal, a good bath, and any other care it needs."

"Yeah, I got it," Hammers said with a nod. "Go on." Sully got into the back of the patrol car with his wife and son, and Simmons got in the driver's seat. Within a few minutes, they were heading off to the hospital, and Hammers was being driven to the vet with a very dirty but heroic dog stretching out comfortably in the back seat.

After having been bathed and put into a fresh diaper and an outfit donated by the hospital, Landon Sully was nursing hungrily at his mother's breast, his little fists pushing against her, as if he were trying to get more milk to fill his little tummy.

"Your son doesn't have any physical injuries," the doctor, a pleasant man that looked to be in his early fifties, said with a warm smile. "Because he is so young, he may have suffered a little separation anxiety. I know it might sound silly, seeing that he's barely even a week old yet, but those first few days of bonding are very important, so the brief adjustment he had to go through during this time…well, it may have thrown him off. I have no doubts that he should be doing well at home within a few days."

"Thank you," Michaela said with a sigh.

"Dr. Quinn, correct?" the man asked.

"Yes."

"Oh, I knew your father. Josef Quinn?"

"Yes…"

"He was my boss a long time ago," the man said with a smile. "He's a good man, and I'm honored to meet his daughter, whom I've always heard so much about. I'm glad I could help you with your son."

"We really appreciate it," Sully said with a nod. "We wanna get him back home. Is that possible today?"

"I don't see why not. If there's anything you need at the store to make the trip back home safe and comfortable for your son, just let me know, and I'll have one of my nurses run out and get it."

"Thank you," Michaela said. "We'll need a car seat…" She wanted nothing to do with anything Emily had provided for Landon. She never wanted to even think about it again.

"Done. And newborn diapers, I presume?" he asked. "Just sit tight for a while, and we'll get what you need." Michaela and Sully nodded, and the doctor left. Michaela pulled Landon away from her breast. He squealed and squirmed while she adjusted herself and him so she could feed him from the other breast.

"You're ok?"

"Mmm," Michaela said, a relieved smile on her lips.

"Thank God he's safe, you know? It ain't everybody that gets a happy ending outta these messes like we just did."

"No, you're right," she nodded. She closed her eyes, feeling the stinging that was sure to bring tears. "I'm glad it's over. I've never been so relieved in my life, Sully. She…she's going to go away now, right? She won't be able to hurt us ever again."

"That's right. Just like the men that took you away from me, she's goin' away and won't ever be able to take anything or anybody from us again." He took her hand, squeezing it. "It's over now."

"I feel like I can breathe again. All of this time…I think even before Landon was born, it felt like something was going to happen. I didn't know what. But it did happen. But now…now I feel…"

"Peace," Sully offered. She nodded slowly.

"Yes. I feel peace." She looked down at the baby boy in her arms. He'd detached himself from her breast, and he was now nuzzled there, sleeping soundly. "Could…could you take him? I need to use the restroom."

"'Course," Sully replied. "C'mere, champ." He took his boy--who protested being pulled away from Michaela's breast with a loud grunt--into his arms and settled down in the chair of the exam room. Michaela's eyes welled with tears at the sight of her son finally in his daddy's arms. Biting her trembling lip, she swallowed the lump in her throat and left the room. She leaned against the door, closing her eyes, thanking God that her son was safe, and Emily was never going to hurt them again.

Because the situation had started in his jurisdiction, Officer Simmons had taken it upon himself to stand guard outside of Emily's hospital room. She had woken up, and though she had a slight concussion, she obviously recalled the kidnapping, as she continually asked where her son was.

"Miss McCallister, Landon Sully was not your son."

"He was my son!" she screamed. "He was mine!"

"Please, calm down." Emily was handcuffed to her hospital bed. She was too agitated, and she was a danger to others, obviously, so he had made sure to secure her so she wouldn't do anything foolish.

"Calm down? My son's out there! I left him with his father, and now…"

"You didn't leave him with anybody. You left the boy you kidnapped alone in an alley!" he said, angry at the thought of someone doing that to his own children.

"No! Sully was there!"

"Mr. Sully was with his wife, myself, and another officer," he said hotly. "There's no evidence to suggest you were with anyone. Our witness claims you checked into that hotel alone, save for the baby."

"No! He showed up. He shows up when I need him." She said it as if it were the truest statement ever spoken. Shaking his head, he realized she truly was insane, but that would all have to be dealt with in court.

"I'll leave you alone, Miss McCallister." He turned to leave, and she screamed angrily after him. When he closed the door, he set his gaze upon a pair of concerned eyes.

Michaela had left the bathroom, and she'd gotten turned around in the hall. She'd found her way here. Slowly, she made her way over to the officer.

"Mrs. Sully? Dr. Quinn…is everything alright with the baby?"

"He's fine," she said with a nod. "Is she awake?"

"Yeah, but she's…well, she's not really with it." He shook his head. "She believes Sully's been with her all this time. She says he shows up when she needs him the most." Michaela shook her head.

"I want to see her."

"What?"

"I do. I need to do this."

"I can't let you in there," he said. "Not after everything that's gone down. It's not good for either of you."

"I need her to know something…I just…I need a few minutes with her."

"I can't let you in there. I'm sorry," he said firmly, crossing his arms. Michaela swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Please," she said quietly. "I just need to know why." His resolve was starting to deteriorate. Closing her eyes, she searched for the words to convince him, and she didn't have to look very far. She gazed back into his eyes. "Imagine it was your child we'd been looking for. Imagine somebody had taken your child away. Wouldn't you want to look that person in the eye and ask them why?" He looked down, thinking of his son and daughter at home.

"I walked away to get a cup of coffee. I didn't know you were in there," he finally said, trusting she wouldn't do anything to get either of them in trouble. He slinked away, and Michaela took a deep breath, her hand on the door knob. Finally, she turned it and went inside, coming face to face with a woman who'd done nothing but try to destroy her family since the first time she set eyes on Sully.

"What're you doing here?" Emily asked, knowing all too well who was there to see her. "Where's Sully? Where's my baby?"

"Your baby died, Emily. He drowned along with your husband." Emily shook her head.

"No! Not them. Not them! Sully and our baby…"

"My son is with his father down the hall. Your son is dead, Emily. You took my son."

"No! I left him with Sully. Why won't anyone believe me." She was crying, and Michaela felt her anger rising with the woman's tears.

"You left him in an alley by himself!"

"No, I didn't! I would never!"

"You were so crazy with…with I don't know what…" Michaela shook her head. "Things happen that we can't explain. You lost your family, but I still have mine. You had no right to do the things you did!" Emily looked away. "I love my husband and my children. Why would you try to take them from me? I never did a thing to you, and you came into my life and tried to change it all…tried to rip it all apart."

"I just wanted my family back."

"You can't replaced your family with someone else's!" Michaela shot back. "You were a mother once yourself! How would you feel if somebody had taken your child from you, wanting to raise him as their own?"

"My child was taken from me! He was the sweetest boy you could ever know! He…he was the best son a mother could hope for. And in an instant, he and his dad were gone, and I was left standing in the sand…watching their bodies drug out onto the beach." She shook her head. "No mother…no wife…should ever go through that." Michaela swallowed hard.

"No, she shouldn't. But she should also never have to sit at home wondering if she'll ever see her child again. You had no right, Emily. No right at all."

The door opened quickly, and Sully walked in. Michaela turned in surprise, and Emily looked up.

"Sully, where's the baby?" Michaela asked.

"Right outside with Officer Simmons. I saw he wasn't guardin' the room, so I asked what was goin' on. What're you doin', Michaela?"

"I had to talk to her," she said. "I had to know why." Sully closed the door, stepping in closer to the bed.

"Sully! Where's the baby? I left him with you! Tell her! Please, tell her!" Sully looked at her with absolute confusion in his eyes.

"I haven't seen you since the day they hauled you outta the hospital. The day you tried to have our daughter taken from us." He glared angrily at her. "You won't quit, will you? You won't quit 'til somebody's as miserable as you are."

"Please, Sully. Go back to where I left the baby, and…"

"The baby's fine," he said quickly. He glanced at Michaela, who tensed up. "Our son…" He placed his arms around Michaela. "Our son is fine."

"You don't mean that. Not after everything you said…I thought we were going to be together!" Realizing Emily was far more out of it than he'd expected, he gave Michaela a squeeze and shook his head.

"Michaela and the kids are my life, Emily. I can't see myself livin' it with anybody else." Sully took Michaela's hand in his, and they started for the door.

"I just wanted my family back! That's why!" Emily cried out as they left through the door. Officer Simmons was sitting outside the room, rocking Landon slowly in his arms. He grinned down at the little guy. Michaela smiled and reached for her son.

"Oh, here ya go. Ya know, he reminds me of my boy when he was born. All small and wrinkly."

"He's not wrinkly," Michaela protested, smiling at the officer. "He's perfect."

"You're right 'bout that," he replied with a laugh. "I got somebody else comin' in to sit with her. Soon as you folks are ready, we can head out." Michaela and Sully nodded and started back toward the exam room to wait for the nurse bringing them what they'd need to get Landon home.

Officer Simmon's cell phone started to vibrate against his hip, so he grabbed it. Noticing Hammers' number, he answered.

"Simmons," he said.

"Yeah, it's Hammers. Look, you gotta get down here to the vet."

"What? Why?"

"It's about the dog."

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