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.

Chapter Ten

Cambridge, Maryland – July 16, 1846

The sun was beginning to set now but the afternoon still burned deeply in her mind. Tears continued to fall unchecked down her cheeks. Michaela wasn't even sure why she was crying. She felt angry and shocked at Sully's behavior. Did he think she couldn't take care of herself? She could have handled Thomas. Why did everyone always assume she needed to be protected?

At the same time, she felt angry at herself for her own behavior. Had she really said those things to him? She replayed the scene in her mind for the hundredth time since entering her room.

"What is wrong with you?" Michaela asked anger filling her chest. Her face was flushed and she clenched her hands at her sides like she might hit Sully at any second.

"He was kissin' your hand," Sully was indignant.

"So what? Who appointed you my guardian?"

"I just thought," Sully began but Michaela interrupted him.

"No, that's the problem, Sully. You didn't think. You didn't even know what the situation was."

"I was there the whole time Mike. I knew what was goin' on."

"Oh so now you're spying on me." Michaela's eyes were livid as her anger only grew.

"No! It wasn't like that ..I was just" Again, Michaela didn't let him finish.

"Being a rude little boy who doesn't know how to mind his own business," shot Michaela her voice full of venom. She turned and ran up the stairs.

She had seen the hurt flash in his eyes. Her words had hit their mark and gone deeper than she would have guessed. Michaela had wanted to hurt him at that moment but now she regretted her actions. Two different times that afternoon someone had knocked on her door but Michaela had refused to answer the knock. What was wrong with her? She was thirteen years old bawling like a baby. Even though the room was stifling, she pulled the bedclothes over her head trying to drown the world out. She buried her face in the pillow shutting her eyes tightly.

She sighed, "Oh Sully, what have I done?"

Boston, September 1864

He was standing now and tapping his glass gently to get everyone's attention. Suddenly the room wouldn't come into focus. She blinked her eyes rapidly as her head grew dizzy. He turned and began to walk towards her. She knew what was coming but felt powerless to stop it. Leaning her head to one side, she brought her hand up to her forehead. Now he was standing just in front of her and reaching in his pocket. "No," her mind screamed. Closing her eyes, she made a wish that this was all a horrible dream. All eyes in the room were on the two of them.

"Will you marry me?" he asked a nervous smile forming on his lips.

Her stomach lurched as the words tumbled from his mouth. The room was still, too still. Every eye was on her. She gasped for air but she couldn't breathe. It felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. Again, she tried to breathe but her throat wouldn't open. There was a burning sensation in her chest as dryness claimed her mouth.

"I," she hesitated.

"Michaela," he called with a look of concern on his face. Then she was falling, crashing into the blackness as she cried out, "Oh Sully, what have I done?"

Cambridge, Maryland – July 16, 1846

Sully sat on the back steps shucking corn for Ida. His nose had stopped bleeding a while ago. The area beside his nose and under his eye was sore and would probably bruise but the real pain was in his heart. Michaela was angry with him and he didn't exactly understand why. He knew he shouldn't have attacked Thomas but at the moment he had been so angry. He had seen the look on Michaela's face and he had heard her exclaim Thomas' name. Had he read her wrong? Did she want him to kiss her?

The words rang in his ears - rude little boy. The funny thing was he didn't even mind being called rude; it was the little part that had him so upset. Though he wasn't exactly sure how old Thomas was, he knew he was older. Sully was eleven; just eleven. Well really eleven and a half- and actually eleven and three fourths but in the large scheme of things that didn't matter. What mattered was that Michaela thought of him as a little boy. He sighed heavily and continued shucking the green husks off the corn.

He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't hear Ida step out onto the back steps. She sat down beside him reaching for an ear of corn. "Sully, it's gonna be okay. She just need some time to cool down," Ida said trying to cheer Sully. Sully felt tears just below the surface and knew speaking would be his undoing so he simply nodded his head.

Ida's heart went out to Sully. She could tell he was about to cry but she wasn't sure the best way to help him. She had already gone up to Michaela's room twice to try to speak with her but Michaela refused to open the door. Anna had gone in the carriage with John to take Thomas home and to explain the situation to Thomas' parents. Ida knew that Anna would talk to Michaela when she returned.

The rumbling of carriage wheels could be heard coming up to the house and Ida stood, secretly glad to have some help with the two sullen children. John helped Anna down and then went to stable the horses. Anna walked to the bottom of the kitchen steps and stood looking up at Sully. Sully did not raise his head.

"I know you and Michaela don't want to talk about what happened this afternoon. Truth is I'm not going to push. I do need you to listen to me for a minute though. I know that you thought you were protecting Michaela this afternoon but fighting is never a way to solve anything. Thomas' father is a very understanding man and I have managed to smooth everything over. You've got to promise me that you will use your words in the future and not your fists."

As Anna concluded a dam burst inside of Sully and the tears he had been holding back started to descend. He threw himself at Anna almost knocking her backwards and wrapped his arms around her. He buried his face in her dress wetting it with his tears. Anna smiled down at Sully as she wrapped her arms lovingly around him and began to soothe him.

"It's going to be okay," she said gently rubbing his back. After a minute or two, Sully calmed and pulled away from Anna.

"I'm sorry," he sniffled. "I promise to try not to fight anymore."

"Good. Now I think you should go help John out in the barn. It will do you some good." She smiled at Sully as he dried his eyes and cheeks, setting off for the barn.

Ida stood and shook her head. "Good Lord Almighty, if we ain't seen some fireworks today," she exclaimed wiping her hands on her apron.

"Is Michaela still barricaded in her room?" Anna asked.

"Sure is. What are we goin do wit' em?" Ida laughed.

Anna joined in her laughter. "I don't exactly know. Right now, I'm going to head up there and have a talk with Miss Michaela even if I have to do all the talking." Ida smiled and opened the door for Anna as they both headed inside.

Out in the barn, John was pitching fresh hay into the horse stalls when Sully entered.

"John, ya need any help?" Sully asked shuffling his feet.

"I'd be much obliged- why don't ya brush down the horses." John put down the pitchfork and retrieved the horse brush for Sully. Sully stood frozen staring at the horses. "Gonna be hard to brush the horses from all the way over there." John said.

"I don't like horses very much," Sully said fear etched on his face.

"Oh, that okay, why don't you muck out the stalls whiles I brush 'em,' John offered. Sully agreed and grabbed the pitchfork John had been using. They worked in silence for awhile; Sully lost in his thoughts as his mind turned once again to Michaela's words from earlier.

"I 'xpect Miss Michaela pretty upset right now but she gonna calm down," John said breaking the silence. Sully just shrugged his shoulders. "Now don't go workin' yourself up over this. She's fiery but fire don't burn forever."

"I don't know - she's awful mad," Sully finally replied.

"Oh, I don' doubt it."

"I don't even know why. I mean I saw her face- she didn't want him to kiss her. She even called his name to stop him."

"I 'spect she's mad cause ya got in her buisness without her askin' ya to. Michaela- she a lot like her grandmother- real independent. When Anna's husband died and she moved back here, all her family thought she'd lost her mind. I think she did it just cause they didn't want her to. I tell ya what I think - ya keep givin' Michaela a hard time as far as this Thomas boy is concerned and ya gonna push them together. She's just provin' she's her own person."

"But why did she have to be so hateful? Why did she call me a little boy?"

"Ain't nothin' compare wit' a woman when she mad wit' her beau."

"Her beau?" Sully questioned.

"The boy she's sweet on."

"I know what it means but ... do ya mean me?" Sully was wide-eyed. Did John think Sully was her beau?

John kept quiet for a minute and observed Sully. "What would ya say ya were?"

"Friends," Sully answered and than after a moment added, "Best friends."

"Yeah, I see that but I still think Miss Michaela sweet on ya."

"But we're just kids," Sully argued.

"Miss Michaela's a young lady."

"Yeah but I'm just a kid."

"Don't mean kids can't have feelins. Look I ain't sayin' ya goin' to start courtin' her or anythin'." Sully shook his head and looked down at the ground. "Let me ask ya a question - is there any boy ya'd be okay with Michaela kissin'?"

"Her father."

"I meant someone not related to her." Sully shook his head no. "How about if she was to kiss ya?"

Sully thought about it for a second, afraid to admit to John that he'd already kissed Michaela.

"Ya already kissed her, haven't ya?"

Sully stood stunned for a minute. It felt like John could read his mind. Finally he whispered a very quiet "Yes."

"I figured as much. Well let me tell ya somethin' Sully and I sure hope ya gonna listen. You're young and ya got your whole life in front of ya. I know from what Anna has said that ya done had to grow up fast. But that girl in there is too special for ya to go disrespctin'. Ya gotta learn to grow together." Sully was silent taking in what John had just said to him. "Firs' time I saw Ida I was nine years old. I thought she was somethin' special. Truth is I still think that. But I learned real quick not to wake love 'fore it's ready."

"What do ya mean?" Sully asked shaking his head in confusion.

"Ya just wait and be patient. Ya just make sure ya there for her. There might be other boys but she ain't gonna think about 'em like she think about ya. Let her have her independence and some day she gonna fall in your arms and then you'll know its time. But ya gotta be patient."

Silence descended on the barn as Sully thought about what John had said to him. Could Michaela really be sweet on him? Was he sweet on her? He wasn't sure about that but what John said did make sense. He had felt awful jealous where Thomas was concerned. Sully closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He hated the fact that Michaela was mad at him but he would be patient with her. If she needed to yell at him that was okay as long as in the end they were still ... whatever they were to each other.

Colorado Springs, 1865

Patience- that was what was required. He looked across the clearing unable to believe she was actually here. Michaela turned her head and caught him staring at her. A slow blush crept across her cheeks but she did not drop her head. He felt his heart melting as their eyes refused to break the connection. And then he knew. Why was he waiting? What was holding him back? He walked now, confidently across the clearing. The pounding of his heart was deafening in his ears. Nothing could deter him. This was the moment he had been waiting for and dreaming of for so long.

Stopping a few feet from her, he took a deep breath. "Michaela?"

"Yes."

"I," he hesitated feeling his nerves return. Her face fell and he could tell she was afraid of what he was going to say.

Tentatively, he reached for her hands taking them in his own. They looked so small. Resisting the urge to pull her body against his, he began again, "I." Michaela interrupted him before he could continue.

"Sully, please don't. I know how awful I was to you. Please don't send me away. My life has been so empty, I just need..." she couldn't continue. She let out a small sob as the tears began to run down her cheeks. Pulling her hands away from his, she covered her face.

"Shh," he whispered lovingly pulling her into his embrace. "Do you know how long I have dreamed of this moment?" She didn't respond. "John once told me to be patient with you and you would come to me. Truth is I never been good at waitin'. Maybe that's why we've always struggled. I was always pushin' instead of waitin'."

"Oh, Sully how can you think any of this is your fault?"

Leaning into her, he brought his head down to her ear. "Michaela, don't live in the past."

"Oh, Sully, you don't know how long," she began.

Sully interrupted, "Yes, I do. But we can stop fightin' and pushin' and pullin' away now. You're finally here in my arms and I ain't letting go."

Cambridge, Maryland – July 16, 1846

Anna stood outside Michaela's door and pressed her ear against the wood. There was no sound from the other side of the door so she knocked. "Michaela, it's Anna. I want to talk to you." There was no response from in the room. "Michaela, I'm coming in now." Anna opened the door to find Michaela buried under the bedclothes. She walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed gently touching what she assumed was Michaela's back. "Isn't it hot under there?" she asked, a touch of levity in her voice.

Slowly, Michaela moved to pull the bedclothes off her head. "I don't want to talk about it," she whispered.

"I know you don't," Anna replied. "So why don't I talk and you listen." Michaela did not respond so Anna began, "I know that you are very upset right now. There is no excuse for why Sully attacked Thomas but you of all people should know that Sully was just trying to protect you."

"I don't need to be protected," Michaela shot back angrily. Why was her grandmother taking his side? She rolled over on the bed away from Anna.

"No, you don't need to be protected. But you have to understand something Michaela. Boys are a lot different from girls. When they see something that they know is wrong, they want to act, to fix it. That is what Sully was doing this afternoon. He thought you didn't want Thomas' attention and so he let Thomas know that. Unfortunately, he chose to use his fists." Michaela remained silent but the tears began to fall again.

"Michaela, why don't you tell me who you are angry with?"

"Sully," Michaela whispered knowing that wasn't exactly true anymore.

"Are you sure, Michaela?" Michaela began to sob harder. Anna lovingly rubbed her back. "Whatever you said to Sully, he is going to forgive you."

"But I was just so awful to him," Michaela managed to mutter between sobs.

"Oh, my sweet girl, do you think you are the first girl to be utterly awful to a boy?" Anna asked with laughter in her voice. "If you only knew the things I said to your grandfather sometimes. He always forgave me, Michaela. Always." Michaela rolled over and placed her head in her grandmother's lap. Anna softly stroked her hair. "You'll see, it's going to be okay."

Dinner had passed without incident. There was polite chatter but no one talked of the afternoon's events. After dinner, Sully excused himself to go read in his room. As he passed the doors to the balcony he was drawn outside. The moon was full and it hung low in the night sky. The river reflected it's glow perfectly. He could hear the crickets singing their night songs and frogs croaking in the distance. The air was heavy with the sweet smells of summer. Sully leaned on the railing and closed his eyes.

Michaela had followed Sully up and now stood at the doors to the balcony watching him. She wanted so badly to make everything right but she wasn't sure what to say. Slowly, she stepped out into the night and joined Sully at the railing. A light breeze blew her hair and she relaxed as the night enveloped her in the same sweetness.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she whispered, afraid to break the magic that the night had woven around them.

"It is," Sully simply responded. He opened his eyes and turned slightly so that he could see her.

"The moon looks like it's trying to kiss the river," Michaela whispered in the same soft voice.

"If the moon does, do ya think the earth might get jealous and try to punch the moon?" Sully asked.

"He might. But the earth doesn't need to be jealous. The river can't leave the earth because they are bound together. One can't exist without the other." Her words hung in the air and in both of their hearts. They didn't fully understand the depth of what had just been expressed but they both knew everything was going to be alright. Neither wanted to move or disturb the perfect peace that had settled between them. Michaela turned slightly and brought her hand over to touch lightly on the outside of Sully's hand. She smiled at him. He turned his hand over and she lightly placed her hand on his palm as his fingers closed around hers. Then together with hands entwined they stood simply enjoying the night.

This is my first fan fiction. Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading.