Hello there! A few months back, I stepped back into the world of DQ fanfiction. There are so many great works out there that I got reminded of those days I rather passionately had my own ideas of missing scenes or spin-offs and finally tried to bring them on paper. As many of you, I too was sad when great masterpieces on this site never got finished. But I could never truly fault those writers, having not finished a story of my own (although not one of said masterpieces). My fanfic was originally posted in 2002 or 2003 on a German board and I retrieved the original version on my laptop (remember when we still got those?). Now, after all these years, I decided to put in the effort and finally finish translating the whole thing so I can get rid of that nagging feeling in the back of my mind :) Maybe, someday those great writers (wink: Elizaellen, Ashley J) will be inspired and rejoin in satisfying our patient hearts ;)

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't 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 and The Sullivan Company.

Truly, madly, deeply

-By Hope (Kate)-

Part one

TRULY

How does love speak?...

In the embrace where madness melts in the bliss,

And the convulsive rapture of a kiss-

Thus does love speak.

-Elle Wheeler Wilcox-

Chapter One

Two miles south of Colorado Springs

Languidly, Michaela was lying on her back within the depth of a fragrant summer meadow. An arm comfortably under her head, pleasantly stretching her limbs, she was lazily lying there contently looking at the deep blue sky above her, taking joy in recognizing things and shapes in the few passing, fluffy white clouds. It was a perfect summer's day. The sun was shining down mildly at her, all around birds twittered, bees quietly hummed, a passing brook happily splashed along and flowers in bloom exuded a sweet, almost beguiling smell. It seemed as if all life was frolicking in a newly awakened nature.

Michaela was blushing and giggling at a passing cloud in the shape of a train above her, when suddenly a shade fell over her smiling face. Michaela had to shut her eyes tight as she had been looking into the beaming sun for such a long time. Now she all of a sudden could not see anything. When she opened them again, her eyes had adapted to the changed light and she did not look at the blue of the sky anymore, but into another blue. Darker and much deeper. Like a deep sea in which she could lose herself.

Sully had bent over her. His long hair, wet from a dip in the brook, slickly fell around his shoulders and framed his face. His eyes intense, questioningly, looked into hers and on his lips lay a teasing, almost boyish smile.

"Whatcha laughin' at?"

Michaela's gaze briefly went to the sky and then again to his laughing eyes in an attempt to judge which bore a deeper shade of blue. His eyes won. She felt so incredibly drawn to him just because of his piercing gaze and his nearness, she only answered. "Oh, just because. Come here!"

With that, she lifted her hand up to his face and led it down towards hers. Sully obeyed only too willingly and soon both lost themselves in passionate kisses and gentle touches.

But out of nowhere, Michaela suddenly heard a voice, as if from far away. A voice that instantly brought shivers down her spine. A voice which she had listened to so many times in her younger years and which she had thitherto known to never be able to listen to anymore.

"It's a boy, Mike!"

It was the voice of her father - Dr. Josef Quinn – that happily announced those exact words Michaela had heard him say many times before. All those times when she had accompanied her father to deliveries. At first, as an always curious daughter, hungry for knowledge, later as an experienced medical aid and partner, when she had helped him bring life into the world. However, her father was dead! Confused, she sat up in the mossy grass and looked around. There he was, Josef Quinn, standing in the shade of a tree and looking like Michaela had last seen him alive and well. With a gentle sparkle in his eyes that, as a child, had always encouraged her to put thousands of questions to him, he looked over to them. He was dressed in white from top to bottom. His white beard lightly blew in the wind and through it flashed a most gentle smile. He was carrying something in his arms. Carefully, as if he was protecting something very fragile.

Michaela freed herself from Sully's arms, rose and slowly walked up to him. There he said it again. "A boy, Mike. I am so proud of you!"

But just in the second Michaela had arrived at his side and briefly after she had shockingly recognized the bundle indeed to be a baby, Josef Quinn had disappeared.

As if they had resolved in thin air, there on the very spot her father and the bundle had just stood a mere seconds ago was now only the shadow of a big oak.

Suddenly, just some feet behind Michaela, a playfully happy, downright joyous laughter rang in the air.

"Michaela, I'm here!"

Jerkily, Michaela turned around.

There, likewise completely in white, stood her sister Marjorie! The sister, Michaela had spent almost her whole life in a war-like state with and whom Michaela only shortly before her death last year had learned to unconditionally love and accept. Slowly, Michaela moved towards her sister and whispered. "I miss you so much, Marjorie! Why did you leave us? Loren, he..."

Affectionately, Marjorie looked at Michaela. "Dear sister, you know why. Just as I do... It was my time... But I've got something for you!"

With that, she extended one hand to Michaela. In her palm she cradled an ordinary plant twig, which had not started to bloom and thrive yet. When Michaela looked at it more closely however, something strange and miraculous started to happen. Sprouts shot out and green leaves blossomed within seconds. However, what caught Michaela's attention itself were two buds, one a little higher on the twig, the other lower on the branch. At the same time, both began to grow and gain form and from both burgeons grew two wonderful red blossoms. One something brighter, tender, the other dark and strong. However, both incredibly beautiful and perfect.

Confused and impressed by the spectacle, Michaela looked at her sister questioningly.

"You'll see soon," Marjorie whispered. "Despite all the things that we might have said to each other. I have loved you, Mike!"

And with that, Marjorie also disappeared in a cloudy smoke of nothingness.

Colorado Springs, Sully Homestead

Michaela slowly blinked. The first sunrays of a new morning shone through the lace curtains of their bedroom window and gradually fell down on the marriage bed down to the spot where Michaela lay peacefully slumbering. Secure and warm, tightly embraced by the arms of her husband. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and yet yawned pleasantly. Still, she was not ready to properly awake and face the reality of everyday life - a growing crowd of sick and sometimes-not-so-sick patients and dull town council meetings. The recollection of her dream was still too vivid.

Her father and Marjorie! To see them both, although only in a dream, had been miraculous. Wonderful and very bewildering. However, did every dream have to mean something? Michaela decided to simply switch off her analytical mind for once and bring up the pictures of Marjorie and Josef Quinn as she had seen them both in her dream - happy and content. Simply enjoying and marveling the notion that her father and her sister were in spirit still with her.

But as the morning sun, not minding Michaela's whim, rose brighter in the master bedroom as if to tell Michaela that it was time, she slowly started to emerge from her dream world and turned around to concentrate on the present and reality. And those also things were not too bad either. Not in the least!

Very close beside her, Sully was lying on his side. Still sleeping, his mouth was pulled up in a smile, which made dimples appear on his cheek.

"It seems as if I wasn't the only one having pleasant dreams." Michaela whispered under her breath.

Softly, she came nearer, even closer to him, and just stared at him for a long time. In moments like these, time seemed to stand still. Slowly, her look went from his long, sun-bleached hair, down to his striking face, over his closed beautiful eyes, thick eyelashes - uncommon for a man - the handsomely strong but slightly misshaped nose, down to his sensuous mouth where it stayed for a while. This sight made Michaela's eyes become darker, because again, she longed to be kissed by those lips. Long and thoroughly. And although it had only been some few hours ago that they had spent a passionate night in the arms of each other she was looking forward to an encore.

Giving herself a jerk, Michaela broke loose from the sight of his now relaxed mouth and continued on her journey further downwards. Longingly, she looked at his athletic, naked torso, which rose and sank with every breath he took. In all honesty, her fingers burned to touch and stroke him softly. However, still she did not give way to this desire. Then, Michaela's look fell on the light cotton of their blanket which covered the lower parts of Sully's body. Sighing, Michaela admitted to herself that she would like nothing better than to pull at it, until his body lay open to her unobstructed gaze in all its beauty. However, Michaela thought, this would rouse him way too harshly. Hence, she decided on another tactic. Slowly and softly, eliminating literally every inch between them, Michaela hovered over Sully and began to sensuously kiss his neck right under his left ear. Her hands affectionately went to his hair and she immediately lost herself in him, until she experienced a reaction that she had never had before enjoying this specific activity. Her stomach rebelled and a sour taste rose up in her throat. All of a sudden, she felt sick. The only thing she could do was to tear herself away from Sully, race down the hallway and stairs to throw up into the kitchen sink just in time.

oooooooooooo

Sully awake to a tickling, very pleasant, exciting sensation. He did not have to open his eyes to know what it was. Her smell, her nearness, her soft feminity told him everything.

Quietly, he laughed deeply in his throat. They both had always found incredibly much pleasure in each other but during the last few months they never seemed to get enough of each other!

He had been sleeping, dreaming of her. Now he was on the verge of waking up but he surely thought, he was still dreaming! How could he have gotten that happy in life?

However, just in the moment Sully wanted to react to his wife, the sensations suddenly stopped.

Sully more heard than saw through his clenched eyes how Michaela rushed out of the bed and their bedroom. Wild flying hair was the last thing Sully saw of his wife.

Briefly, he asked himself what was going on here. However, Sully was not yet awake enough to think straight or even worry about her behavior. Most probably, she had heard Katie in her room and rushed to look after her daughter. Soon, he thought. Soon, she would be back again and hopefully look after him for some more...

Sighing, he let his head drop back against the cushions in order to give himself some more time for his dreams. Dreams of a long-haired, brunette mermaid with one olive-colored and one hazel eye. She inexorably pulled him under the water of a deep blue ocean saving his life with her hot breath...

oooooooooooo

Michaela clasped the sink with both hands and inhaled in and out carefully. No, it had finally stopped. Slowly, she dared to stand upright, take a gulp of water to clean her mouth with and to dab a damp washcloth to her hot face. She already felt a little better, although she still felt a little strange. As if her brain was suddenly cushioned in cotton balls. Cleaning everything up again, her thoughts began to swirl. What was wrong with her? As she sat down on a chair, she considered what could possibly be affecting her. After all, it was not unlikely that she was exposed to illnesses in the Clinic whose symptoms were an upset stomach. However, as much as she racked her brain, she could not think of any of her patients suffering from such a sickness and irritated appendixes were not infectious after all.

Unbelievingly shaking her head, she stood up.

"That's strange!", she thought when she was suddenly overcome by a notion.

"When did I actually have my last...?

However, quickly she pushed the faint idea aside.

"Nonsense! Feeling sick doesn't prove anything, Dr. Quinn! I simply forgot one or two meals. I have to take better care of myself."

With that, she purposely walked back upstairs. Into the arms of her unsuspecting husband. Ignoring the earliness of the day, she fully planned on dedicating herself a little more to him and their love for one another.

However, for some reason, she refrained from telling him anything about her her early morning experience.