Chapter Thirteen

Michaela, Josef and Elizabeth all had tears in their eyes as they sat in the living room. For the past hour and a half they listened to Michaela recount the past four years of her life. Many times Michaela had to stop talking because her emotions would take over, or her mother would start crying. Rehashing her past was a lot more exhausting than Michaela had ever anticipated. She remembered so much more about her past with Jack the further she went on. Some details she forgot entirely until something would spark her memory.

Switching positions on the couch Josef rubbed his chin. His jaw was clenched and it took every ounce of power he possessed not to hop on a plane to Connecticut and squeeze the life out of Jack. Squinting Josef spoke for the first time in over an hour. "So how long has it been since you're practiced medicine?" He inquired wanting to know the truth.

"Almost two years," she whispered. "I tried to go back to the hospital a few times, but somehow Jack always found out."

"Why did you lie to me?" Josef's voice cracked. "I thought we could tell each other anything."

"I wanted to. God, everyday I wanted too." Michaela shook her head moving closer to her father. At first Jack was supportive of my career, that's what I loved most about him. But, now that I looked back on it I think he just liked to show me off. He liked that we were both successful people." Getting up Michaela walked back up to the window, leaning against the sill she continued. "I think he got upset after the promotion I got. I started making more money than him and I kept later hours."

"So what did he say?" Elizabeth asked. "Did he just tell you, not to go to the hospital?"

Looking up at the ceiling Michaela started to cry again. "I…I don't even know what happened. Everyday he just grew worse. Some days he would just tell me not to go in for my shift, but you know you can't just not show up, so I would go anyways. And…and that's about the time he started to hit me… regularly. I…I think he knew that I was finding the hospital a safe haven, a place to get away from him." Stopping for a minute Michaela tried to compose herself. Closing her eyes she drew in a breath and willed herself to go on. "He started to play these games with me, and take my keys, hide my paperwork. Jack he's…he's just so powerful he can make people do whatever he wants."

Josef's jaw clenched as he listened to Michaela. Leaning over he looked at Elizabeth and held his hand out to her for support.

"To this day I don't know what he told administration at Mystic," Michaela shook her head.

"What do you mean?" Josef moved in closer.

"I…I showed up for work one morning and my office was packed up. They told me that I no longer worked at St. Mary's and my license in no longer valid in the state of Connecticut."

"What?" Josef rose. "What do you mean no longer valid?"

"I don't know. There was all this paperwork then they had me escorted out of the hospital. No one would tell me anything. I tried going back, I went on numerous occasions trying to find out all that I could. Then…each time Jack would find out and well, he wouldn't be happy about it."

"Let me get this straight," Josef rose. "For two years you have been lying to me? All those medical conferences, and late nights at the hospital were all lies?"

"Dad I-"

"Damn it, Michaela," he pointed at her.

"He would have killed me!" Michaela shouted. "The last time I tried to go to the hospital he broke my arm!" Becoming hysterical she lifted up the side of her skirt revealing her bruised leg. "Look at me!" she cried. "Look at my body! I couldn't take it anymore. It wasn't worth it! He would have killed me and not of thought twice about it."

Letting go of Josef's hand Elizabeth rose from the couch and stood next to Michaela, looking at her leg for a moment then into her eyes she opened her arms to her daughter and Michaela readily accepted. Falling into each other they both started crying. "Oh. Oh my baby," Elizabeth cried as she stroked Michaela's hair. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I…I didn't know."

"I wanted to tell you. I wanted to run away. But he said that he would hurt you or Rebecca or Maureen….the children."

"The children!" Elizabeth pulled away, aghast at the thought.

"He didn't care," she shook her head. "And I'm just so confused. I don't know what to do. I was thinking witness protection, but then I'd have to move again because people know my name here. And…I have friends. I like it here."

"No," Elizabeth shook her head. "You shouldn't have to hide. You shouldn't have to be away from your family. We'll go back to Boston, we'll get this straighten out."

"What…what about Jack?"

"He had to have broken some law, Josef?"

"I'll get all the best lawyers. Michaela, I promise he'll never hurt you again."

Michaela shook her head, "I wish it were that easy."

"No one said it would be easy. But you have us now. You have the support of your entire family." Wrapping her arms around her daughter Elizabeth was finally able to give her daughter the hug she craved since the moment she found out she was alive. "You don't know how good this feels," she kissed her temple.

"Oh, I think I do," Michaela smiled offering her hand to her father. "I think I do."

"Hey," Robert E slapped Sully on the back. "Back for more," he grinned?

Laughing Sully shook his head. "No, I'm just picking up Michaela's car." Upon returning home this morning he realized that he still had Michaela's key's in his pocket and deciding that he wanted to do whatever he could to be in her parents good graces he decided to come and get her car.

'Ah," he laughed. "And how she feelin' this morning?"

"All right," he was vague.

"Really," he knew Sully was keeping something in.

"Her parents just came over this morning," he rolled his eyes.

"Ohh," Robert E laughed shaking his head. "Fun."

"Yeah." Opening the door Sully sat behind the wheel.

"Well whenever you and Michaela get some free time, just call us up. Grace wants to meet up for dinner."

"Yeah, so does Michaela."

"Oh, she remembers us?" Robert E joked. "We weren't to sure."

"Bye." Sully shut the door shaking his head a smile playing on his lips.

Driving out of the parking lot Sully started to make his way down the street. Looking around her car for the first time he noticed how nice it was. One of the things that drew Michaela to him was how classy she was and how this rich quality of niceness cascaded from her. His only fear was now that Michaela's parents were in town that they would push her away from him, after all they didn't meet under the best circumstances.

He knew that he would definitely have to do some sucking up to her parents to be in their good graces. He would have to look like a good guy, not someone that was trying to get their daughter into bed. Pulling into their subdivision he realized that he should take her, her house keys and she would need her car back just in case they wanted to go somewhere. Hopefully she would answer the door.

Parking her car in the drive way, Sully decided to use the back door, if it was open he could just place the keys on the counter and leave. Walking up the step he peeked through the curtains and seeing no movement he carefully opened the door. Careful as to not make the door squeak, Sully squeezed through the tiny opening and crossed the kitchen, placing the keys next to the stove hoping she would see them.

"Excuse me!" Elizabeth walked into the kitchen.

Spinning around Sully voice caught in his throat. "I ah...I'm-"

"Who are you? Get out of here!" Elizabeth pointed to the door. "I'm calling the police!"

"Ma'am," Sully reached out.

"Don't touch me!" Elizabeth jumped. "Josef!"

"I'm a friend of Michaela's," he spat out. "I'm just bringing back her keys. I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you."

"Mother?" Michaela entered the kitchen looking around. "Sully?"

"Sully?" Elizabeth looked at him remembering him to be the man she saw this morning in bed with her daughter. Casting a disapproving glare she moved closer to her daughter.

Sully looked to Michaela and spoke low. "I was just bringing your car back. And I thought you might need your keys."

Walking Sully to the door Michaela forced a smile. "Thank you Sully. Now if you don't mind I am rather busy."

Placing a hand on her arm Sully looked her in the eye. "Are you all right?"

Moving her shoulder Michaela stepped back. "I'm fine," she looked downward. "I need to get back to my parents."

"Michaela," he sighed.

"Michaela," Elizabeth called. "Tea's ready. Will you come and join us."

"Thank you again," she closed her door leaving Sully in the cold. Biting her lip she picked up her teacup and followed her mother to the dining room.

"Why does that man have your car?" Elizabeth glared. "And the keys to your house."

"I told you we went out last night," Michaela sat down. Reaching for the sugar Michaela scooped three lumps into her tea. Keeping her eyes in the center of her cup she knew her mother was going to delve more into this.

"I just can't believe you've already gone out on a date," Elizabeth shook her head. "Don't you know how vulnerable you are? Do you know what that man realized when he looked and you?"

"No," she sighed. "But I'm sure you're going to tell me."

"He saw a woman, living alone in a strange town, somewhat sad, trying to put her life together. A woman that looked like she could use a friend. So he makes his move and takes you out, liquors you up-"

"Mother!" Michaela looked up. "Sully did not get me drunk."

"Michaela, please you smell like a brewery."

Closing her mouth Michaela sneered at her mother. "It was my idea to drink. No one poured them down my throat."

"And when was the last time you did that? Ummm? If Sully really was a gentlemen he would have stopped you. He would have never let you get drunk as you did. And to top it all off, take you home and take advantage of you!"

"Mother, Sully did not take advantage of me! Nothing happened."

"Michaela, you really are insulting my intelligence. I saw you two in bed together, remember."

"Yes, and if you remember correctly we had our clothes on."

"Do you even know anything about him?" Elizabeth questioned. "Where he grew up? Went to school? Who his parents are?"

Stopping Michaela realized that her mother was right. What did she know about Sully? He worked as an architect at the hospital, and he said he lived in New York. That's all she knew. Oh God, Michaela thought to herself. She let some man she barely knew take her out, and then bring her home and sleep in the same bed. He had the keys to her house! She couldn't even remember what happened last night. Was there more than Sully was telling her? What was she thinking? "Oh, God," she said aloud, her head collapsing in her hands. "What did I do?"

"Michaela," Elizabeth grabbed her hand from across the table. "You're father and I want you to be happy and have nothing but your best interests at heart. You just need to believe us when we say it's too soon. There are too many other things that you need to concentrate on right now. A relationship is not something you need to get into right now. Besides you don't even know if you're staying in Colorado. So there's no reason to start something that would just end in heartache for you."

Michaela sighed knowing it would be hard to stay away from Sully, but her mother was right…again. She didn't even know if she felt things for Sully. She was vulnerable and Sully just happens to be here. Besides it was too soon to feel anything. It was almost two years for her to feel anything remotely close to love with both David and Jack. And it was only one date, Sully would probably forget about her anyways.