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 Fifty- one

New York City – August 14, 1848

"Are you sure we have enough money?" Michaela asked.

"The place don't cost much. It ain't that fancy," Sully replied. He stopped walking suddenly and turned to her. "I don't want ya to be afraid. It ain't gonna be like what you're used to but it's a place off the streets and my ma used to work for the people that own it."

Michaela breathed in deeply. "I'm not afraid," she whispered. "Just worried. I hope father and mother got the telegram."

"I'm sure they did. And even if they didn't there's nothing we can do about it."

"You're right. No reason to worry yet I suppose," Michaela said taking Sully's hand as they started walking again.

"I think there's plenty of reason to worry. Elizabeth ain't gonna like this."

"True, but father is reasonable at least. He'll hear us out and be understanding. It's not like we planned this or something."

"I hope you're right," Sully replied pulling Michaela's hand as they turned off onto a side street. "Not much further now but we should stop first and get something for dinner."

Michaela looked at him doubtfully. "We don't have enough.." she began but Sully interrupted her.

"We got enough for what I got in mind," he said smiling at her. "Ya forget I lived most of my life just scrapin' by."

"Right," Michaela said feeling a little guilty. She had never thought much about Sully's life before he had come to live with them. Now seeing the section of the city where he grew up, tons of questions came to mind but she knew this wasn't the appropriate time to ask. Maybe later when they were settled in their room for the night, he would tell her about his life with his mother.

They stopped off at a small store which sold a little bit of everything. Sully made most of the decisions as Michaela was too engrossed at looking around. The people in the store looked at them both warily. At first Michaela thought it was because of their ages and the fact that they were out without a chaperone. Later it occurred to her that this wasn't Boston society and that it most likely had to do with their clothes which spoke of wealth.

They left the store with two bags which Sully held in his hands. Michaela quickly took one so that she could hold his free hand in hers. Truth be known, she was a little frightened but she also couldn't resist the chance to so freely express the way she felt about Sully without worrying about who was looking. They traveled a few more blocks before Sully stopped her. "Well, this is it," he said.

Michaela looked up at a building which had seen better days. The front of the structure was grimy and thoroughly uninviting. It was several stories high and all of the windows were open. Many different sounds traveled down to the street below and Michaela thought how much louder everything was here as compared to Beacon Hill. Steeling herself to see the inside, she turned and smiled at Sully giving a light squeeze of his hand. "Let's go," she said too cheerfully trying hard to cover the nervousness she felt in the pit of her stomach.

Stepping through the doors, her eyes scanned the room. In its heyday this place had been nice she thought. If she squinted her eyes she could block out the accumulated dirt and grime in order to imagine what this place might have looked like. Sully pulled her on across the lobby floor to the counter that ran the back length of the room. To the side was a stair case that at one time had been majestic. Now the woodwork was scratched up and pieces of decorative molding were missing here and there. Two children sat on the stairs staring at her. Tentatively she lifted a hand and waved to them but neither returned her gesture though they continued to stare.

"Is Mr. Jacobson here?" Sully asked the clerk who was seated behind the counter.

"Busy," the man replied not bothering to look up from his paper.

"I'd like to rent a room for the evening," Sully said undeterred by the clerk's attitude.

Waving a fly away from his face, he looked up at the two of them. Turning his head to the side, he spit into a spittoon and then wiped his mouth on his sleeve. Michaela felt sick just watching him and when his eyes met hers she didn't like what she saw there. Quickly she dropped her head and moved closer to Sully.

"What do we have here?" the clerk began looking Michaela up and down.

"We would like to rent a room," Sully repeated pulling Michaela's arm so that she stood slightly behind him.

"For how long?" the man asked turning his head to spit again.

"Just the night," Sully replied.

The man pointed up at the sign above the counter. "Gotta pay for the room in advance." Michaela and Sully both looked up to read the sign which said "Street girls bringing in gentlemen must pay for room in advance."

"We don't mind payin' in advance but she's my sister not a street girl," Sully replied holding back the anger he felt building in his chest. He reached into his pocket and pulled out some coins handing it to the clerk.

The man cast another look at both of them before taking the money. "Ain't my business anyway, long as your money's good." He turned around and placed the money in a till. From under the desk, he removed a key and handed it to Sully. "Room's on the second floor, number 218."

"Thank you," Sully muttered stepping away from the desk and leading Michaela up the stairs past the two children who continued to stare. Quickly they found the room and Sully opened the door so that they could slip inside. The room was small with walls badly in need of some new paint. There was window on the other side of the room. It was already open but the room was still stifling. In the middle of the room stood one bed and on the other side of the bed was a chair. On the wall opposite of the bed stood a table with a wash basin and pitcher.

Sully turned to look at Michaela. "Ya okay?" he asked wondering what was running through her head right now.

"I'm fine," she replied. "First time I've ever been mistaken for a street girl," she added a smile spreading across her lips.

"Sorry about that."

"It's kind of funny if you think about it," Michaela said letting go of Sully's hand for the first time since they had left the store. She set her bag down on the bed and then plopped down beside it. Brining her hands up to her hat, she undid the pins that held it in place and took it off. "I mean we must look sort of suspicious. No luggage or anything."

"True," Sully agreed as he watched Michaela roll up the sleeves of her dress.

Michaela looked over at him and smiled. "Since I'm not a street girl, would you mind stepping out of the room for a moment? I have to get out of this corset and take off these petticoats before the heat gets to me."

Sully moved over towards the door laughing. "Sure," he said smiling at her. "Just call me when it's safe to come back in."


Boston – August 14, 1848

"Does it say how they missed their train?" Elizabeth asked her voice surprisingly calm.

Josef looked down at the telegram again. "No Elizabeth, it doesn't but I'm sure they will have a good explanation when they arrive tomorrow evening."

"A good explanation," Elizabeth repeated and then gave a little laugh. "As always Josef, you'll believe whatever cock and bull story Michaela feeds you."

"I am sure they have a good reason for missing the train," Josef returned bracing himself for Elizabeth's reaction.

"Good reason?" She laughed again. "If they had been where they were supposed to be they wouldn't have missed their train, pure and simple." Her voice was becoming more excited now with each word.

"Elizabeth we don't know what happened yet. Don't jump to unfounded conclusions. They deserve to at least be heard."

"They deserve to be heard? Do you think so? Because you know what I think – I think they planned the whole thing!"

"They planned the whole thing?" Josef repeated incredulously.

"They're probably tucked away in some hotel right now doing god knows what." Elizabeth shuttered at the thought. "And here her father sits not even concerned that his daughter is probably being deflowered as we speak."

"I don't believe you just said that," Josef retorted. "For god sake's woman if you thought about us making love half as much as you accuse Sully and Michaela this marriage would be a lot more fulfilling."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him. "That was uncalled for."

"It was just as appropriate as you accusing Sully of having wrong intentions," Josef returned, his face flushed with his rising anger.

"This is it as far as I am concerned. I don't care what their explanation is. It's time for Sully to go to boarding school."

"Elizabeth!" Josef exclaimed. "Don't you think you're being a little hasty? We don't even know what happened."

"Josef, I have sat by and endured you mocking me. I have watched as your daughter has gallivanted around Boston and Maryland with Sully at her side. I have warned you until I am blue in the face. Take your blinders off Josef! Take Michaela off the pedestal you've put her on."

"How dare you say that? I have never treated Michaela differently than our other daughters."

Elizabeth snorted in disgust. "You wanted a boy, a son to carry on the Quinn family name. I can understand that. But what I've never understood is why you insist on making Michaela into the son you never had, even after Sully came along."

"Why are you bringing this up now? It's completely off topic."

"Off topic? Who are you kidding? If it was anyone of your other daughters in New York with a boy you would be irate. Look how you treated Marjorie over the Paul incident."

"The situations are completely different, you can't compare them. Marjorie lied to us, Elizabeth, for over a month. If Michaela lied to us like that don't you think I would punish her? Don't you think there would be consequences?"

"I don't know Josef, would there? You certainly don't want to stick to the promise you made to send Sully to boarding school."

"I am not relenting on that promise. I am simply saying we need to hear them out."

"Why? So Michaela can butter you up? Convince her father that the golden child can do no wrong?"

"Elizabeth, stop it!" Josef yelled his face full of fury.

"He's going to boarding school," Elizabeth reiterated her eyes boring into Josef's. "Things have gone on long enough but I'm putting my foot down on this one."

Josef hung his head and covered his face with his hands. He felt tired and worried about Michaela and Sully. He had the same questions that Elizabeth had but she was right he was reacting differently because he believed Michaela would have a good reason for missing the train. "Okay," he said resignedly.

"Okay? Okay what?"

"I will consent to sending Sully to boarding school but on my conditions."

Elizabeth considered him for a minute. She was a little surprised he had relented so easily. "What conditions?" she asked her voice calmer than before.

"I choose the school," Josef began. "I want him close so that he can come home some weekends to visit."

"That's fine."

"And I don't want this presented like it's a punishment for them missing the train. I don't think that will accomplish anything."

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows as she thought about what he had said. "Covering your own behind?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you Josef. You don't want Michaela mad at you."

"No, I simply don't want this to turn into some big fight. Neither one of them is going to like this already but they will hate it even more if they think it's their punishment. As far as I'm concerned, we present it as a way to help Sully get further in his education."

Elizabeth looked up at him and nodded. "If you think that is best- fine with me."

Josef nodded but he did not feel good about what was happening. His mind flashed back to the day he had been told he was going to boarding school. His mother had been so against the idea but his father had insisted. Truth be known his father's family had insisted.

Why did he continually give into Elizabeth's demands? He shook his head as she left the room, remembering that he had always given in too easily. He gave into his grandmother as a young man, he gave into Elizabeth through most of their marriage and now he gave into Michaela. The one person who he had rarely acquiesced to was his own mother. Maybe if he had only listened to her a little more, things would have turned out differently. The pressure to live up to the Quinn family name seemed to weigh down on him terribly at that moment. Elizabeth had been hand selected by his grandmother. She had pushed them together with help from Elizabeth's own mother. For the first time in his life Josef saw the whole situation clearly. His grandmother had married him off to a rendition of herself.


Boston – 1858

"You were right," he muttered, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "I've been blind for so long."

"Josef?" Elizabeth asked tentatively. "What do you mean I was right?"

"Sully was in Cambridge with Michaela."

"What?"

Josef shook his head. "They've been sneaking around behind our back for years."

Elizabeth felt the overwhelming urge to say I told you so but she suppressed her desire. "Where are they now?"

"Here. I brought them back here," Josef replied his voice monotone and lifeless. He turned and met Elizabeth's eyes. Elizabeth was startled by the desperation she saw there. "You have to help me Elizabeth. This can't be."


New York City - August 14, 1848

"Are ya gonna eat that?" Sully asked looking at the remains of Michaela's dinner.

"No, you can have it," Michaela replied pushing it towards him. They sat on the floor of their hotel room, their backs leaning against the bed frame as they ate the food they had bought at the store. Michaela watched as Sully finished the bread and cheese. "How much money do we have left?" Sully pulled the money out of his pocket handing it to Michaela to count as he was still busy chewing. "Good we have enough for some breakfast and to eat on the train tomorrow." She looked over at Sully who was polishing off another apple. "Well maybe," she giggled.

Sully gave her an odd look and swallowed quickly. "We don't have enough?" He put the apple down quickly feeling guilty for eating food that could be saved for tomorrow.

Michaela laughed. "Go ahead and eat it. I'm only kidding. I never noticed before what a big appetite you have."

As soon as Michaela gave the go ahead, Sully picked up the apple but then hesitated. "Things could be very bad tomorrow when we get back to Boston."

Michaela nodded. "I've thought about it." The nervous feeling she had earlier at the train station returned. "I'm hoping that at least father will hear us out."

"And if he doesn't?"

"I don't know," Michaela said unwilling to speak the thoughts that were in her mind, afraid that by speaking them they might become reality. "I guess we can count on Elizabeth's reaction being over the top," Michaela admitted. "It might be better not to tell her we shared a hotel room."

"We would've slept in the same compartment on the train," Sully reasoned.

"True. Still it might be better not to mention it."

"I guess we're lucky Anna always insists on sending us off with some pocket money. Otherwise tonight would have been spent on a bench at the train station."

"I still can't believe our bad luck. We miss the train by two minutes at the most and then there is no train running to Boston until tomorrow. What a way to end the summer," she exclaimed.

Sully laughed. "Let's try not to worry about what's gonna happen when we get home tomorrow. Let's enjoy our last night without Elizabeth."

Michaela relaxed as she let Sully's words penetrate her mind. "This is a very rare opportunity," she declared. "No Elizabeth to spy on us, no Anne to jump on you, no chaperone to speak of…" Michaela's voice trailed off as a smile spread across her face. "We have the whole night in front of us." She looked over at Sully whose face had suddenly dropped. "I thought you said not to worry," she added lightheartedly.

"Maybe just for a moment we should think about what could happen," Sully began. "If they send me away…"

"They won't," she assured him.

"Michaela we can't be certain that they won't. And if they do..."

Again Michaela interrupted. "Please Sully I don't want to think about that. Let's not talk about that unless it happens."

"But by then it might be too late to talk about it."

"What do you mean?"

"They might not give us another chance to be alone," Sully whispered as a sense of dread overtook him. What would he do if he was suddenly cut off from Michaela?

"I won't let them keep me away from you. It doesn't matter what they do or say - I will find a way to see you." Michaela held Sully's gaze while she spoke these words. For a moment, Sully felt as if he was looking into her soul and realized he would not be the only one lost if they were forced apart. Michaela was as scared of losing him as he was of losing her. "Please," she said shutting her eyes and closing the door to her soul. "Let's think about other things for right now."

"Okay," Sully agreed as he watched her hastily wipe at her eyes. The fact that she was already crying didn't bode well with him. The ominous feeling stayed with him and he knew that when they returned to Boston they would be facing Elizabeth's wrath at the very least. Why had he ever mentioned anything about visiting his mother's grave? This entire situation was his fault.

Michaela could see the tension on Sully's face and guessed that he was probably blaming himself for the jam they were in. "Sully this isn't your fault." He looked down at the ground and shrugged his shoulders. "You needed to go to your mother's grave. No one has the right to deny you that opportunity." Her words seemed to be having no effect as she literally watched him sink into a depressed state. Pushing aside the remains of dinner, she moved closer to him and pulled his head towards her. He came willingly and found himself lying against her shoulder with her arms wrapped around him. "It's not your fault," she whispered against his ear and this time he actually believed her.

They sat like that for awhile, neither feeling any urgency to move from their position. They watched as the room became darker and darker as the sun descended though the evening sky. It was only when there was no light left in the room that Sully finally moved. His legs felt stiff from sitting and he stumbled as he rose to light the lamps. Crashing to the floor, he landed on top of Michaela. Both of them burst into laughter as Michaela quickly brought her hands up to tickle Sully's sides.

"Stop," Sully said as he tried his best to wiggle away from her.

"I thought you liked it when I tickled you," Michaela said removing her hands so that he could get up.

"When did I say that?"

"You dream about it, don't you?"

Sully stood, grateful that the room was dark because he knew he was blushing fiercely. "That isn't exactly what the dream was about. That was Anne's interpretation."

"Oh, so what was it about then?"

"I'm not tellin' ya," Sully replied as he finally made it over to the table and lit one of the lamps. "Some things are meant to be private."

"Even from me?" Michaela asked teasingly.

"'Specially from ya!"

"Now I'm not curious at all," Michaela replied sarcastically. Sully smiled at her as he lit the lamp near the bed and returned to the floor. "If you tell me, I'll answer any question you want."

"Ain't nothin' I wanna ask ya," Sully lied as he enjoyed the back and forth of the conversation.

"Oh come on, tell me," she implored him pulling on his arm.

"There ain't much to tell. I just dreamed that ya were taking off my shirt." The last sentence came out quickly and in a low tone so that it took a minute before Michaela was sure she understood.

"I was taking off your shirt?" she repeated for clarification. Sully didn't respond but began to play with a button on his shirt. "Was I dressed?" Michaela asked dying to know the full extent of Sully's dream.

"Sort of," he replied pressing his lips together. Michaela giggled causing Sully to look over at her. "Is the laughin' a good sign?"

"I just remembered that Anne was the one that woke you up from that dream." She broke out laughing again.

Sully smiled at her. "Yeah, kinda embarassin'. So now I get to ask my question?"

Michaela's eyes grew big. "Was that the deal?" Sully nodded. "Go ahead," she said nervously.

"Ya said ya dream about us sometimes so ya ever dream about things like that?" he asked.

"Like your dream?"

"Yeah."

Michaela blushed as she dropped her eyes to her lap. "Not like that."

"Then like what?"

"One time I dreamed that you were lying on top of me and we were kissing." Her words came out fast and hurried as the blush on her cheeks grew darker.

Sully touched her arm lightly. "Don't be embarrassed," he whispered as he moved in towards her, his breath stirring her hair.

A light giggle escaped her mouth as his hand found hers. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" he asked bringing his other hand up to caress her cheek.

"Make me feel like those things are okay," Michaela whispered as Sully moved ever closer to her. Gently he kissed her lips as his hand stroked her cheek. He began to pull away but Michaela quickly brought her arm up to his neck, pushing him gently back to her so that as their breath mingled their lips met again. Sully pulled back again and this time Michaela let him go knowing that things could not go any further.

"That was nice," Sully whispered as he brought her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss there.

"I agree," Michaela replied biting her bottom lip shyly. She took a deep breath and sat up straight to look around the room. "Well I guess we better be getting to bed. We have to be at the train station early tomorrow."

"Ya take the bed, I'll sleep on the floor," Sully said as he rose.


"Sully, Sully, wake up," Michaela said in hushed tones as she leaned over his body.

"Is it time to get up already?" Sully asked wiping the sleep out of his eyes.

"No, I think someone is sick in the next room. It sounds like they are in a lot of pain."

At that moment Sully could hear a loud moan coming from the room next door. "Umm.. they aren't in pain Michaela….they're …ummm… they're snugglin'."

"Snuggling?" Michaela asked a confused look on her face.

"Bein' intimate," Sully said trying not to grin.

"Oh!" Michaela's face showed the shock she felt inside. Suddenly she felt extremely foolish. "How do you know that?" she asked turning to look at him as she sat down on the floor nearby.

"Michaela I grew up different than ya. I lived in this hotel for awhile. We heard stuff like this all the time. Ya saw the street girl sign."

"But why are they being so loud? Don't they know we can hear them?"

"They probably don't care. Not everyone lives by Boston society rules."

Michaela let out a slight laugh. His statement called to mind all the questions she wanted to ask about his childhood. "Tell me about your childhood Sully," Michaela whispered.

"Ya really wanna know?"

"Yes."

"Well, ain't much to tell really. I grew up in an apartment building about two blocks away from here. We just had one room."

"One bedroom?" Michaela asked.

"No, one room. It was fairly big though so we were lucky. My mom could read and write and do figures so she taught me."

"You never went to school?" Michaela asked surprised at the thought.

"Not 'til I came to live with ya."

"I didn't know," Michaela whispered as millions of more questions danced through her head.

"I had a job working on the docks. I had only been working there for a few months when my mother died."

"You had a job?"

Sully laughed. "Are ya gonna find everything I say surprising?"

"I'm sorry," Michaela gushed. "It's all so different. I can't believe I never asked before."

"There's a whole world outside of Beacon Hill," Sully said his eyes moving towards the window. "I never knew people lived the way ya did 'til I came to live with ya."

Suddenly something occurred to Michaela that never had before. They had lived completely separate lives and would have continued to if things hadn't happened as they had. Without thinking, Michaela began to speak. "Sully I never would have met you if …"

"My mother hadn't died," Sully finished her sentence. "I know," he said. "I've thought about that before."

"I didn't mean to bring that up," Michaela said feeling bad for mentioning his mother.

Sully continued as if he hadn't heard Michaela. "Sometimes I wonder if ya would have even looked at me if I had passed ya on the street. But then I tell myself that don't really matter. Somehow we would have found each other anyway."

"We would have," Michaela agreed as she rose to climb back into bed. "I love you," she whispered into the darkened room.

"I love too."


Boston- August 16, 1848

Michaela didn't wait as she normally did. There was no counting the minutes after she heard her parent's door close. There were no backwards glances as she walked down the hall to make sure their lights were off. It didn't matter now that they were sending him away. Her mind replayed the day that they had arrived home. Things had gone so well at the train station. There were no angry words or accusing threats. There seemed to be no repercussion from their failed excursion. Michaela had explained about the trip to the grave yard and the carriage, how they had missed the train by less then two minutes and how Sully had secured them a place to stay for the night. She had let herself believe that everything was going to be okay. The afternoon had passed without any disturbance.

Josef had called Sully into his library right before bed and Michaela had known then that something was amiss. Everyone was too calm, too stoic. She had left her bedroom door open waiting for him to pass by as she sat perched on the edge of her bed, wishing that she was in there to defend them, wishing that Sully wasn't taking the brunt of this alone. When he passed by her door, tears stained his cheeks and Michaela felt her heart drop. What had her father said to him? Moving to her door, she watched him slow down and turn towards her. "I leave for boarding school on Monday," he had said calmly as if informing her dinner was ready or the mail had come. His eyes didn't lie though. In them she saw the pain, the hurt and the fear. He turned and walked towards his own room as her father appeared at the top of the stairs.

Before she knew what was happening, her feet were flying down the hall, running at top speed for her father. "Why?" she screamed at him. "Why are you doing this?"

He had grabbed at her arms which she was flailing at him wildly. "Michaela calm down. This is a great opportunity for Sully. This is going to open doors for him. You should be happy for him."

These last words stung Michaela as they cut her to the quick. "How can I be happy when you are making him miserable?" she had screamed running to her bedroom and slamming the door. Over and over again her father had knocked, trying to cajole her to talk to him but she buried her head under the pillows to muffle out his knocking. Soon her pillows were soaked with tears and eventually she gave into the fatigue that pulled at her eyelids as she dropped off to a restless sleep.

Today there had been no chance to talk to him in private. Elizabeth had hovered over the two of them, watching every movement and whisper. Michaela chose to ignore her. She knew that if she spoke to her at all she would only end up yelling and right now her top concern was Sully, who seemed to be more distant than ever.

That was why it was so imperative that she see him tonight, alone. Though she wasn't exactly being careful, she did close her door quietly and tiptoe down the hall so as not to disturb anyone. For a moment, she stood outside his door trying to steady herself. It would do no good to spend the next few minutes in tears - she wanted to be strong for Sully.

Taking a deep breath she opened the door and slipped inside. The lamps were out but she could make out Sully's form by the moonlight. Facing the wall, he lay on his side staring off into space wondering what the day after tomorrow would be like. The sound of the door opening caused him to hastily wipe at the tears that were falling down his face. He felt the bed depress with her weight and before he knew it she had stretched out along his length, laying her head against his shoulder. A labored breath escaped his lips and she wrapped her arm around him snuggling her body up against his back.

"Sully," she whispered his name into the darkened room. "This isn't your fault. Please don't think it is."

"I don't want to leave you," he whispered back, his voice full of sadness.

"I don't want you to leave," Michaela echoed feeling her own eyes fill with tears. "I hate my parents!"

"I don't think Josef wants to send me away to school."

"I know Elizabeth is behind this but it doesn't change the fact that my father agreed to support her decision." Michaela's voice held a great deal of anger and spite. "This is her way of punishing us."

Sully rolled over in the bed to face her. "Michaela please don't get yourself into trouble over this. We have known that something like this could happen. At least I can still come home to see ya on breaks. It could be worse – I could be going to an orphanage."

Michaela felt the tears begin to fall then. She was powerless to hold them back any longer. Sully wrapped his arms around her and they lay in his bed holding onto one another. Their cheeks were pressed against each other as their tears mingled together. Minutes passed and finally they both calmed some as Sully moved away from her slightly.

"I don't want you to come to the train station to see me off," he said, his voice thick with sadness.

"Why not?"

"'Cause I can't take sayin' goodbye to ya in front of your parents. We will both be like this and then they'll just get more suspicious," Sully explained. "Besides I want to be able to hug ya and kiss ya. I can't do that there."

Michaela sat up suddenly in the bed and grabbed Sully's hand. "Say goodbye to me right now like you would if you could," she requested.

"But I don't leave for another two days," Sully protested. Michaela rose from the bed pulling on him. Shaking his head he finally gave in.

They stood facing each other, Sully holding Michaela's hands in his own. Slowly he lifted his head and looked in her eyes. "I love you," he whispered. "How am I gonna go each day without seein' ya? Without talkin' to ya? I need you," he said letting go of her hands and wrapping them around her back.

Michaela pulled him tightly against her so that she could feel each ripple and curve of his body. Her tears began again in earnest as she started to speak. "I love you and I need you too. I will think about you everyday."

"Michaela," he breathed his voice tickling her ear. "Promise me that every night before you go to sleep you'll look at the stars and think about me. I'll do the same and maybe we won't seem so far away."

"I promise," she whispered clinging to him all the more.

Sully pulled away though so that he could kiss her. Their lips met repeatedly over and over in soft gentle kisses. In between they took turns whispering I love you before pulling each other close once again.

Michaela pulled back suddenly her heart racing as she felt Sully's hands descend down her back. "You'll miss your train," she said forcing a smile on her face.

"What?" Sully was confused.

"This was our train station good-bye," she reminded him. Sully nodded his head as she leaned in once more to kiss him. "I'll be counting the days until your first visit home."

"Me too," he replied hugging her tightly not wanting to let go but knowing he had too.


Boston - August 18, 1848

The carriage made its way over the cobblestones bouncing slightly as it traveled along. Inside sat Josef and Elizabeth having only dropped Sully off at the train station moments before. The morning had been confusing for both of them. Michaela had refused to come out of her room and had informed them that she would not be going to the train station by yelling through the locked door. Sully had been stoic and distant. Giving them light hugs as they stood on the train platform, he had not shed one tear.

"I still can't believe Michaela didn't want to come," Elizabeth remarked glancing over at Josef.

"I know, that was odd," he said. "She is so angry with us. I don't even know what to say to her."

"Just leave her be. She'll get over it in time."

"I don't know," Josef replied looking at the houses they were passing. The rest of the ride was conducted in silence as Josef's thoughts focused on Mike and Elizabeth reveled in her victory. Before long they arrived home to see Michaela anxiously peaking out the front window. She watched as they descended from the carriage, with one last hope that they had changed their mind at the last second but she was only further disappointed.

The door opened and they stepped through both unprepared for what was coming. Michaela stood in the entrance to the morning room glaring at both of them but she quickly turned her attention to her mother. "I know this was your doing Elizabeth," she said her voice full of disgust.

"I am your mother and will be addressed as such," Elizabeth responded preparing herself for what was to come.

Michaela ignored the statement completely, turning to face her father instead. "And you let her! I can't believe you let her!"

"Michaela, calm down," Josef's voice was gentle and he walked towards her hoping that she would let him embrace her.

"Get away from me! I hate you!" screamed Michaela.

"Mike, you don't mean that," Josef tried to calm her. "We aren't doing this to be mean. It's not a punishment. This is for the best."

"Who's best?" shot Michaela.

"For Sully's best," interjected Elizabeth. "This school will prepare him for his future as an architect."

"He doesn't want to be an architect. It's what you want!"

"Mike," Josef said laying his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" Michaela said yanking her arm away from him. "And stop lying! This is a punishment. I hate you! I hate both of you!" Michaela screamed before turning and running up the stairs.


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