Chapter 21: AFTERMASH: The Trip Home

A/N: Dr. Quinn-Sully's life immediately after leaving Korea. This Chapter covers Michaela and Sully coming to Boston. I hope you enjoy the change in scenery.

United States

January 1953

The Sullys arrived back in America just after the start of the New Year. They flew from Japan across the Pacific with stopover in Guam, Wake Island, Hawaii and San Francisco. Michaela swore she would never fly across the pacific again. The Sullys had thirty days to report to Fort Devens, so they decided to take a train across country with a stopover in Colorado Springs.

At Travis Air Force Base, the newsreels were waiting for Michaela. This was a story Army public affairs could not pass up. The infamous Captain Quinn returns from the fighting in Korea with her new husband, combat veteran Major Byron Sully. Army public affairs had another surprise as well. The Sully's leave was extended so that they could make an appearance in Oklahoma City to meet with the Governor and representatives of the various tribes who had sons serving in the 45th Infantry Division.

The trip to Oklahoma wasn't too bad. Major and Captain Sully spent the night in one of the best hotels in the city. The next morning they had a meeting with the Governor. He congratulated the couple. He then introduced them to representatives from the Southern Cheyenne and Comanche Nations. Once again Dr. Mike was called the "Medicine Woman of Uijongbu". Major Sully told the tribal leaders that their sons were "great warriors".

After Oklahoma City it was onto Colorado. Sully didn't have much family left in Colorado Springs. His parents were both dead, all he had was an aunt and uncle and some cousins. They were all quiet people, ranchers and farmers. They were impressed with Michaela.

Sully introduced Michaela to Charlotte Cooper. Mrs. Cooper ran a boarding house near the old Sully home. Mrs. Cooper had three kids, two boys and a girl. Her husband was the wandering type who left his family for extended periods. His last trip home had left Mrs. Cooper with her youngest son. Before the war Sully would help her out around the boarding house, making repairs and acting as a big brother for the Cooper's oldest boy Matthew.

"Times were hard during the depression. We all had to help each other. Charlotte and her oldest boy would have starved if our family didn't help." Sully told his wife.

There was one last thing Sully had to do before leaving Colorado. He took Michaela to the grave of his first wife. In Korea Sully barely mentioned her. Her grave was in her family's cemetery. Sully introduced Michaela to his deceased wife's parents. It was an awkward moment for Michaela. She felt the dead woman's ghost was in the room with them.

The couple walked out to the grave. It was a frigid day in Colorado and there were several inches of snow on the ground. Dr. Mike wore her old ski clothes that had got her through the Korean winter. The snow covered mountains in the distance reminded Michaela of Korea. Sully only said one thing at the grave site:

"She was always a small girl. Shorter than you Michaela. The biggest she ever got in her whole life was right before the baby was born."

There was snow in Boston too when the Sully's train arrived. On the platform to meet them were Michaela's parents and her oldest sister Rebecca and her husband. There was also a reporter and photographer from the Boston Globe.

Mrs. Quinn hugged her daughter and her new son-in-law also. Mr. Quinn shook Sully's hand and hugged his daughter. "Welcome home both of you" he said with a smile.

"Now Joseph, let's get them home to a proper welcome" Mrs. Quinn said, her Irish accent strong. Michaela and Rebecca exchanged knowing glances and then laughed. "Welcome home little sister" Rebecca said. "Mother has been quite emotional these past few weeks waiting for you".

"Welcome to the family" Rebecca's husband Bradford McCarthy said to Sully. He was an older man wearing glasses. Mr. McCarthy was a lawyer. His law firm represented Fitzsimmons and Sons Whiskey in America.

The Globe reporter had his photographer get a quick picture of the newly married couple and he jotted a few quick notes as the Quinn family made its way out of the station. There were two chauffer driven cars waiting outside the station. The driver, an older black man, took the Sully's luggage which consisted of two duffel bags and two garment bags. It was then off to Beacon Hill.

Byron Sully's head was spinning at the Quinn home. Most of Michaela's family was waiting at the house to celebrate her return home and her new marriage. It was the first society party Sully had attended. It was also the first time he met an extended Irish family.

Every other woman and girl at the party it seemed was either named Mary or Margaret or a combination of both. There were dozens of Patricks running around as well. Michaela introduced him to all of them with ease. There were several priests at the party and also some high ranking policeman. Not only were there Quinns at the party but also the Fitzsimmons were there as well. They kept making toasts to the Irish Republic and making bad comments about the "godless British"

Elizabeth Quinn was definitely in control of the party. She moved through the crowd in her house, telling a male relative here to stop drinking too much and telling a female teenage cousin of Michaela to stop "gawking at Major Sully, he is family now." She reminded Sully of an old First Sergeant he had in WWII, noticing anything out of place with just a glance. Sully caught himself checking his uniform to make sure it was still squared away as Mrs. Quinn past.

"You look very handsome Major Sully" Mrs. Quinn said standing in front of him and brushing some lint off the shoulders of his uniform jacket. "Your father-in-law looked handsome in his uniform during the Great War. He was an Army doctor like Michaela."

Sully smiled at the way his mother-in-law used the term "Great War" for WWI. "My Father was in the Great War too. He got gassed in the Argonne in 1918 and spent some time in a hospital. Perhaps Mr. Quinn was his doctor."

"Perhaps he was and it's Father not Mr. Quinn and you will call me Mother." Mrs. Quinn said with a smile. It was the first time she smiled at her son-in-law.

The next few days were hectic for the newlyweds. They both went and got Massachusetts Driver's licenses and bought a new car. Sully needed some civilian suits so Dr. Quinn Sr. took him to his favorite tailor. He insisted on paying for everything.

"Consider it the cost of what I would have paid for my daughter's wedding." The elder Dr. Quinn told Sully.

The rest of the family also dropped off wedding presents for the Sullys. Between Michaela's four sisters they received everything they needed for the kitchen including a Refrigerator (It was put in storage till they moved into their quarters at Fort Devens). The Fitzsimmons side of the family gave them money, a whole lot of money in a bank account for them to use to get themselves established. When Michaela said she couldn't accept it, her brother-in-law Bradford explained how the gift worked.

"You have to take it Michaela. It's part of your mother's share in Fitzsimmons Whiskey. She gets a check every year from the company to do whatever she wants with it. This year she gave it you."

Michaela thanked her mother for the gift. "There's no thank you required Michaela. It's your birthright as the child of the Fitzsimmons family. Spend it wisely child or save it for my grandchildren."

Michaela started to cry, but her mother stopped her. "Don't start crying Michaela. You were better at controlling your emotions than any of your sisters. Don't lose control now."

"Yes Ma'am" Michaela mumbled, regaining composure.

"Now have you thought about what kind of furniture you will need at that Army post or does the Army provide it?" Mrs. Quinn asked being practical as ever.

Michaela called the Winchester family and let them know their son was surviving in Korea. Mrs. Winchester promptly invited the Sullys to their home for dinner.

Michaela was surprised by the reception she received from Charles' family. They were very happy to see the Irish woman. Mr. Winchester apologized for anything negative his son might have said. He said his son was "under a lot of pressure being in Korea, he never accepted change well." Mrs. Winchester remembered how Honoria had been invited to Michaela's sweet sixteen party. Honoria was a shy girl then who was about two years younger than Dr. Mike. Both girls attended the Girls Latin School. Michaela remembered how the other girls teased Honoria because of her stutter. Even though she hardly knew the girl, Michaela invited her to the party and made sure plenty of her male cousins danced with her. Mrs. Winchester said it helped her daughter come out of her shell.

Honoria herself had grown up into a beautiful woman and also remembered Michaela's gesture of kindness. She was surprised that Charles never mentioned it.

"Charles keeps many things to himself at the MASH". Michaela told her.

Over dinner Michaela told the Winchesters the latest about what was going on back in Korea at the hospital. On purpose she left out details about OR. Sully avoided talking about the fighting up on the frontline. Instead he told funny stories about things that happened when his battalion was in reserve or people he met in the Army during the last war.

We both don't want to think about the bad things Michaela thought.

The last visit for the Sullys was to the home of Trapper John McIntyre. Trapper was a surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital now. When the Sullys arrived at the McIntyre home they were greeted by a very pregnant Mrs. Louise McIntyre. She was a blonde woman, very attractive. Michaela wondered why Trapper had cheated on her in Korea.

The McIntyre's had two little girls Kathy and Becky. They were blondes just like their mother. Mrs. McIntyre didn't say too much at dinner. She politely listened while Michaela and Sully told Trapper about their wedding and Hawkeye and Margaret getting married. Trapper showed them a telegram he had got from Hawkeye. It said he was back in Maine, getting a home ready for Margaret. She hadn't left the Army yet. They planned on coming to Boston Margaret was done.

Michaela helped Louise clean up in the kitchen while the men talked in the living room. It was here that Louise dropped a bombshell about her marriage.

"I know about what Trapper was doing over there. He slipped and called me another woman's name the first night he was home. Well that's what I get for marrying the world famous Trapper John. I was going to divorce him but you know the church frowns on that. He said he was done with other women. I told him I would remain his wife until the girls graduate high school. Then I got pregnant so now we'll see." The whole time Louise was talking, she was washing dishes. She never slipped and dropped a plate.

Michaela was speechless. Then she managed to say: "Trapper wasn't with any of the nurses when I was there. Maybe he has gotten better. I'm glad you gave him a second chance."

"Deep down I'm glad too. Sully seems like a good man, you're a lucky woman Michaela." Louise said. "Well let's have some dessert and then I'll put the girls to bed".

A/N: Well Dr. Quinn is home now. Next up will be Colleen McMurphy's transition back to civilian life and how the Sullys got back to Colorado. Don't worry the Sullys will visit Crabapple Cove Maine.