Chapter 17

Michaela and Sully walked hand in hand through the door of her house. Sully gave Michaela's hand a tight squeeze as they entered the living room. Michaela had no idea how her parents were going to welcome her and that frightened her a bit. She knew she probably shouldn't have left her house without telling her parents under the circumstances and she regretted that now. Elizabeth was first to see the couple enter and immediately jumped. "Oh thank God you found her," she exclaimed.

Josef sat for a minute studying the couple as Michaela reluctantly let go of Sully's hand. He knew at that moment something had transpired between the two. The way they looked at one another was a tell tale sign. Watching Sully step back and letting the mother and daughter embrace he noticed his demeanor, his protectiveness, and he knew this man felt more for his daughter than a friendship.

"I was so worried," Elizabeth held her hand. "I didn't know what to think when I saw your bed empty. And with Jack here, my God Michaela-"

"Jack!" Michaela bolted up. "What did you just say?"

"Elizabeth," Josef's voice was stern.

"Jack's here?" Michaela trembled.

Sully put his arm around Michaela's waist keeping her steady, which didn't go unnoticed by Elizabeth. "Hey it's going to be okay. I won't let him get to you."

"I…I don't understand," she went pale. "How did he find out? How does he know?"

"We're not even sure he does," Josef neared his daughter. "He could very well be here on business. I got a call this morning from John. He's been keeping an eye on him. All he knows is he took a flight out last night."

"He knows," Michaela looked out the window. "He knows."

"Michaela," Josef turned his daughter around. "John is working a solid case against him. We'll get everything figured out. But in the mean time I think we should leave. I don't want you being a sitting duck."

"Leave?" her voice waved as she turned to Sully. "Is that necessary?"

"Michaela," Elizabeth broke in. "We know what he's capable of. I'm not going to lose you. I will not go through that again."

"But what if he is just here on business? I can't just leave the hospital. I just started."

"Michaela," Sully spoke up. "Your father's right. You should go." As much as it hurt him to say that, he knew if anything were to happen to Michaela it would hurt ten times worse. "We can't take that chance."

"Rebecca, Maureen, John and Robert will be here in the morning. Can't we just have John watch him for a day or so? Just to see what he's up to. I…I don't want to leave. Not now."

"Michaela, he could be sitting outside the house right now for all we know. Please just listen to us."

"Let me," she pursed her lips, "let me sleep on it."

"Michaela!" Elizabeth tried one last feeble attempt. "You're coming back to Boston with us!"

"Boston!" she spat. "I am not going to back to Boston," she was indignant.

"Josef reason with your daughter," Elizabeth huffed. "She's not listening to reason."

Looking between both Sully and Michaela, Josef noticed Sully's bowed head and knew he was fighting his own demons. He could tell he didn't want Michaela to leave, but knew out of her own safety, she should. Shaking his head he knew once Michaela's mind was set there was no changing it. The weight he felt earlier was off chest now that Michaela was home. Fatigue caught the better of him and he relented. "We'll discuss this in the morning. It's late and we should all get to bed."

"Josef!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "No, absolutely not! She is not staying here!"

"Lizzie," his voice was deep. "I'm going to bed."

Huffing she threw her hands in the air and looked at both Michaela and Sully. After eyeing them both she bit her lip and turned down the hall. "I'll speak with you in the morning," she spat.

Turning to Sully she didn't say a word. Opening his arms he pulled her into his embrace. "I don't want to leave," she sighed. "I don't want to keep running and hiding from Jack. Why can't he just leave me alone?"

"Maybe it is a good idea, just for awhile. Just to be safe."

"Why do you want me to leave?" she whispered, pulling back.

"Michaela," he grabbed her arm.

"I should have known," she shook her head. "I have too much going on. I'm too-"

"I couldn't stand it if something happen to you. If I wasn't there and you got hurt, I couldn't live with it." Touching her cheek he stared deeply into her eyes. "And you're not too much. It takes a lot to scare me off."

"If John finds out that he is looking for me, then fine I'll go. But I don't want to go just yet. I…I don't want to leave you just yet," she blushed. "Not now."

"Come here," he pulled her into her embrace. "If you do leave, I'll go with you."

"I can't ask that of you," she breathed. "But that's sweet of you."

"I have vacation time coming up that I can use."

"You would use your vacation time on me," she was surprised.

"Course I would," he laughed.

Smiling she shook her head. Biting her lip she studied Sully for a moment and before she knew what she was doing she leaned on her tip toes and lightly placed her lips on Sully's. He smiled down at her and tentatively, as not to scare her, lightly kissed her back. They both giggled at their awkwardness and Sully took the initiative to wrap his arms around her waist pulling them closer. Leaning in he kissed her again and it all worked in an easy kind of way. It felt right and not rushed, both knew it meant something and basked in it.

"Well," he smiled, "In the mean time I was wondering if we could try this date thing again?"

"You mean you didn't get enough of me the first time," she joked.

Laughing he went on, "I know it doesn't give you a lot of time, but the opening of the children's ward is the day after tomorrow and afterward their having a party at that new resort at the base of Pikes Peak. I wasn't planning on going, but I wondered if maybe you'd like to come? I know you're sisters are coming tomorrow, so you don't have to, but I thought I just-"

"I'd love to," she placed her finger over his lip. "And you're right, it doesn't give me much time to go shopping."

"You could just wear this," he pulled at her skirt.

"Absolutely not," she frowned. "You've already seen me in this!"

"And I like it," he leaned in kissing her again.

"I hope you're happy," Elizabeth huffed walking back into the bedroom. "They're kissing!"

"And you're spying because?"

"Because they're kissing!" she reiterated.

Putting down the newspaper Josef sat up from the bed. "I thought by now you would have seen it," he shook his head. "That man was bound and determined to find our daughter, and he knew exactly where to go. He cares for her so much that he actually agreed with us to send her away. Couldn't you tell by the look on his face how much he didn't want to let her go, but he knew he had to for her safety. That man loves our daughter enough to let her go so she can be safe!"

Elizabeth was about to rebuke but she didn't know what to say. She had seen how Sully reacted and the look upon his face when they suggested Michaela should go into hiding. She saw how they walked into the room together, and even though her daughter looked tired and warn she had this look of calmness about her that she hadn't seen since her visit. Sighing, she knew she was defeated, but at that moment her daughters happiness meant more to her. "So I suppose this means he'll be here for dinner?"

Laughing Josef put his arm around his wife. "This isn't totally awful you know. This is just one more person looking after Mike."

"I hope this works out for her. She doesn't deserve anymore disappointment in her life. And I know my instincts were wrong about Jack. I just certainly hope they aren't about Sully."

"Me too," he kissed her cheek. "Me too."

Elizabeth's eyes searched the room trying to piece together her thoughts. Something had been weighing on her mind since she learned about Sully. She'd been afraid to voice her thoughts, but in the privacy of her room she wanted to share them with her husband. "Why do you think Sully cares so much for her?"

"For Mike?" he was taken aback.

"I…I just mean, you would think her past and all the baggage she carries with it would scare him off. It seems like it makes him more attentive to her, so what is it that makes him want to take that all on?"

"I was thinking the same thing," he nodded. "Especially after how we treated him, but then I think of Mike and wonder how you couldn't love her. She's someone special and I'm not saying that because I can. She is someone truly wonderful and I believe Sully sees that, he's not stupid," Josef laughed. "He knows he got lucky with Michaela feeling the same way about him."

"Does she?" Elizabeth ventured. "Or does she just want to feel loved, that she'll take the first person that comes along?"

Shaking his head Josef looked to his wife, "I can't answer that," he said truthfully. "But I do know it probably won't be Sully breaking it off."

"You don't think that if she finds out one day that she really doesn't care for Sully, that she'll stay in the relationship because she doesn't think she'll find anything better?"

"Elizabeth we can't dwell on this. Michaela is a smart woman. With time she'll return to her old self. As much as we want to we can't cradle her around in a bubble. She has to figure out what she wants to do with her life, she always has. She'll be okay."

"I can't help but worry about her," Elizabeth shook her head. "Especially now."

"Do you see them?" Rebecca asked, pushing her way through the crowd. "'I don't see them."

"I'm so excited," Maureen linked her arm through her sisters. "I feel like it's been forever.

John and Robert followed behind their wives talking quietly about the upcoming election and carrying armfuls of carry-on luggage. "I thought my wife packed too much," John rolled his eyes. "What the hell does Maureen have in here?"

"Everything but the kitchen sink," he laughed.

"Look!" Maureen pointed. "It's father, oh and Michaela! Look!"

Rushing past on lookers Maureen and Rebecca both shrieked and pulled Michaela into a hug. "Oh Michaela! Rebecca smiled. "Oh!"

"We've missed you so much!" Maureen giggled, pulling back. "You look so good!"

"She always did," John laughed entering the circle.

"John," Michaela smiled pulling him into her embrace. "I'm so glad you guys came."

"And what am I?" Robert dropped his luggage. "A hunk of sexy meat?"

"Robert," she shook her head. "Come here."

Wrapping his arms around his sister-in-law he twirled her around and kissed her temple. "Good to see you, pequeño."

"Smalls," she laughed shaking her head. "You're going to call me that forever aren't you?"

"Mmm….yeah."

"You!" she laughed, glad to see her family again.

"Mom, Dad," Rebecca held out her arms.

There in the middle of the crowded airport a family embraced and held onto one another. They smiled and shed tears of happiness glad to finally be in each other's company. Walking hand in hand out of the airport they all had a smile on their face and for the first time in months things finally looked as if happiness were in the cards, in spite of the nagging feeling that plagued each one of them.

Driving her sisters back to her house Michaela took the long way home. "That's Penrose," she point to the hospital across the street. "I'm afraid I'll have to go in for a bit tonight, but I shouldn't be long."

"It has a wonderful view of the mountains," Rebecca commented.

"You should see the children's wing. Sully designed it so each room has a wonderful view."

Maureen and Rebecca looked at one another and smiled. "So…" Maureen smiled. "When do we get to meet him, huh?"

Realizing she walked right into it, Michaela decided that she was going to be honest with her sisters. Besides she needed their help anyway. "Tomorrow," she smiled. "When he comes to pick me up."

"Pick you up?" Rebecca cast her sister a knowing look.

"Yes," she tried to hold in her smile. "We have a little dinner party to go to. And I was wondering if you too wouldn't mind going shopping with me tonight to find something to wear."

"Told ya! Told ya!" Maureen exclaimed from the back seat. "I told ya they were still hot on one another!"

"Maureen!" Rebecca slapped at the air behind her. "Stop."

"You two," Michaela shook her head, "are still the same."

"What does mom say? Maureen asked. "I can just hear her now. 'Michaela what are you doing? It's too soon! You know he doesn't want you just for your intelligent mind!'"

"Wow!" Michaela laughed. "I'll forever be fifteen."

"I know she can't be happy about it," Maureen continued. "At least that's what I made of it when I talked to her on the phone."

"It's not like we're getting married," she shook her head. "It's just dinner."

"Nothing is just dinner with mother," Rebecca knew.

"Sully and I aren't serious, we just recently begun dating. I'm taking my time with him," she blushed. "I want things to work out and I'm not going to let mother disturb that."

"That a girl!" Maureen laughed.

"And, well, mother will just have to get used to him being around. Especially with the possibility of Jack knowing where I'm at, I…I would like to have him around."

"I'm sure that's not the only reason," Maureen poked her sister in the side.

"Oh, and tomorrow night," Michaela warned, "you two better be on your best behavior."

"Yes Mother," they both mocked.

Dinner was a light affair with the Quinn family gathered around the dining room table surrounded by Chinese boxes. Their laugher filled the room creating a joyous reunion. Stories were told and jokes were offered and when dinner was through the family commenced in the living room. Having to leave for the hospital to finish filling out the final paper work, Michaela sat in the car while Sully drove. After much consternation on her father's part Michaela was strictly told that she was not allowed to leave or be left alone under any circumstances.

Upon entering the hospital Michaela told Sully to meet her in the front in exactly one hour. After giving him a quick kiss she jetted into the hospital, unaware of the shadowy figure watching her from the parking ramp. Taking the elevator to her 4th floor office Michaela turned on the lights and quickly filed some papers before making her way over to the board office for her final meetings.

Fifty-five minutes later returning to her office Michaela glanced at the clock and realized she was running late. In such a hurry to meet Sully in front she didn't notice her filing cabinet peeking open or the bottom drawer to her desk slightly ajar. Turning off her light she locked her door and headed toward the elevator, excited for an evening of shopping with her sister and for the day that lay ahead.