For the last time, I don't own any of the Dr Quinn characters, bar Emma Jane.
1867 – Two years later
Victoria Abigail Lawson's cry pierced the late afternoon air, causing her father to groan and her mother to laugh. Hank, who had been in the process of pulling Emma Jane's skirt up in a quest to sate his lust, slumped heavily on top of his wife, knowing that he had been defeated before he had barely even started. He looked over to where his daughter was sitting on a blanket, wailing and sighed heavily, "Damn it, Vicky!"
Emma Jane laughed again and pulled herself up into a sitting position, "I suppose she did that on purpose."
"Guess she did," Hank agreed, standing up and walking over to pick up his daughter, who immediately stopped crying, "Yer just tryin' to make sure Mommy and Daddy can't give you any brothers or sisters to compete with, huh?"
Emma Jane watched as Hank hugged his two year old, feeling it warm her heart. Charlotte had been right that day when she had predicted Emma Jane was pregnant, and as the nine months had slipped by, she had stroked her stomach and talked to her baby, excited and afraid at the same time. Memories of Abigail had been at the forefront of her mind, and she knew, of Hank's. Luckily, however, the delivery had gone well and when Charlotte had emerged to tell Hank he had a little girl, the proud father had proclaimed drinks on the house.
Shortly after Victoria's birth, Hank had kept his word and had arranged for Reverend Johnston to bless their vows in the church. Emma Jane had been thrilled, and when she had written to tell Thomas not only that he had a new niece, but that she and Hank were to be 'remarried,' he had immediately jumped on a train from New York and appeared with the most exquisite wedding dress Emma Jane had ever seen. It had been pale ivory and encrusted with beads, and as she had stood at the alter and proclaimed her love for her husband, she had never felt happier. Thomas had also brought Sarah and Lucy, and they had loved Colorado Springs, playing happily with the Cooper children and getting some colour into their pale cheeks. She had been sorry to see the three of them leave, but Thomas promised he would come back soon, and that she should come to New York. Emma Jane hadn't taken him up on his latter offer. Despite reconciling with her father at Lydia's funeral, Mrs Brown refused to acknowledge Emma Jane's existence, and the new mother couldn't bear to bring her child into a place of such coldness.
"Reckon we should be gettin' back," Hank said, looking up at the sky, "Don't want it to be dark a'fore we get home."
"Ok," Emma Jane said, standing up and smoothing down her dress. She picked up the blankets that they had brought along for the picnic and folded them up, placing them back in the wagon along with the picnic basket.
"Guess I'll just have to wait til we git home," Hank said, coming up behind her and nuzzling her neck affectionately.
"Guess you will," she replied, climbing up into the wagon and then reaching down to take Victoria, "Although that's assuming that I'm willing."
"Better be," he growled threateningly, climbing up beside her, "Ain't havin' Vicky thinkin' she's won."
They both laughed as Hank urged the horses forward and they began to make their way down the road back towards town. Emma Jane looked around at the countryside, pointing things out to Victoria as they went. She was determined that her daughter was not going to be a stuffy city girl, but rather a child who could run and play and get as dirty as she liked without worrying about how it would look to society. She looked over at her husband as he drove and felt a rush of love.
"What ya lookin' at?" he asked her after a moment.
"You," she replied.
"Why?"
"Because I love you."
"Enough to let me have my wicked way when we git back?"
Emma Jane laughed, "You're incorrigible."
"Shouldn't use big words with me," he joked, "Don't know what they mean."
"Hopeless," she said, "and don't give me that. You know damn well what it means."
"Watch your mouth," he bantered good-naturedly, "Women that talk like that…well, they git into trouble."
"What kind of trouble?" she teased.
He took his eyes off the road and winked at her, "The kind of trouble I know you like." Emma Jane was about to reply, when suddenly a group of Indians appeared in the road in front of them, causing Hank to brake sharply, "Shit."
Emma Jane held Victoria tighter to her. She had never had any quarrel with the Indian tribes, not in all the years she had been in Colorado Springs, but lately, the tribes had been moving closer to town, which hadn't gone down well with certain people, her husband included.
Hank took his gun out its holster, "Git out of the way!" he yelled. The Indians trotted towards the wagon and Emma Jane could see they were all armed with bows and arrows. Hank pointed his gun at them, "I said, git out of the way."
They began talking amongst themselves, in a language she couldn't understand and they were looking at her intently.
Hank fired a warning shot into the air, causing the horses to spook. As the Indians moved to one side, he urged the horses forward and they hurried on past, leaving the group behind. Emma Jane felt herself start to relax again once she knew they were well away.
"Ain't right them bein' so close to town," Hank grumbled, "Never know what they might do."
"They're harmless enough, surely?"
"You don't know 'em like I do, Emma Jane," he said.
"I've been here ten years and they've never attacked, not once."
"Things are different now. Gettin' bolder. Next thing you know they'll be ridin' into town rapin' and thievin'…"
"Don't say that," Emma Jane said, shivering at the thought of any Indian ravishing her, "I don't want to think about it."
"Well then," he said, "Gotta use yer head when it comes to them Injuns. Gotta be careful. I ain't takin' no chances with you and Vicky."
"You're right," she said, "It's just that Sully…"
"Sully's not been right in the head fer years," Hank interrupted, "Fact that he went and lived with them Injuns after he came back says it all. Practically one of 'em now."
"They gave him some sort of comfort I suppose," Emma Jane said wistfully, "Although I wish he had turned to us instead." She thought back to the many times she had tried to discuss Abigail with Sully since his return, but he preferred to remember her in silence, without speaking about her. For someone who had been so used to sharing her thoughts and feelings, Emma Jane found this odd.
"Yeah well, not sure I'm happy bout you hangin' around him neither," Hank warned her, "No tellin' what he might do."
"Sully would never hurt me, or Vicky," Emma Jane protested, "You're just being ridiculous now."
"Am I?" he turned angry eyes on her, "Well then, don't come cryin' to me when you've been taken by force."
Emma Jane didn't respond. Instead, she sat in silence the whole way back to the saloon. Hank was equally as silent, the air thick with tension. Both were stubborn and reluctant to back down first. Since she had become a mother, Emma Jane had usually been the one to give in first, not wanting her daughter to have to live in an atmosphere, and when they finally drew up outside the saloon, she acquiesced.
"I'm sorry," she said, as Hank jumped down, "You're right. We should be careful around the Indians."
Hank took Victoria from her, "Glad you see it my way." Once she had jumped down, he handed Victoria back, "You gonna put her down?"
Emma Jane nodded, "She's tired. I can give you a hand behind the bar once she's asleep." She walked into the saloon, past the customers and upstairs where she put her daughter into bed. Victoria protested loudly at first, but after her mother quietly soothed her, she drifted off to sleep. Emma Jane stood looking down at her, stoking her head of blonde curls, remembering how happy she had been when Charlotte had placed her in her arms after the delivery. Her thoughts had been filled with Abigail, sad that she had missed out on this moment with her own child. But her inclusion of her friend's name in Victoria's went some way to reassuring Emma Jane that Abigail was always with her.
She tiptoed towards the door and, leaving it half open in case her daughter woke up, left the room and went back downstairs to the bar. It was busy with the evening rush and she stepped behind the bar to help her husband serve. For a good half hour, they worked in silence, talking only to the customers but not to each other. Emma Jane was glad, she was still thinking about the Indians, and about everything Hank had said about Sully.
"You with us?" he said in her ear, causing her to jump and spill whiskey on the bar.
"Yes, sorry," she replied, grabbing a cloth and wiping it up.
"Looks like yer somewhere else?"
"Well I'm not," she forced a smile, "I'm here."
"You mad at me?"
"No, why should I be?"
"Just askin'," he replied as Jake came up to the bar, "Hey Jake. Whiskey?"
"Sure," Jake nodded, "Hey Emma, you heard we're getting a new doctor?"
"What, a real one?" Jake nodded, "Well, it's about time."
"I ain't good enough?" Jake demanded.
"No, of course not," she replied placating, "but it must be comforting to the town to have someone who is actually medically qualified. In case anything terrible were to happen." Again, she added to herself, "Maybe if we had had a doctor, Abigail might still be here."
"Charlotte did her best," Hank said warningly.
"I'm not saying she didn't. I'm just saying that having a proper doctor makes me feel a lot better. What is Vicky was ill?" she asked her husband, "Wouldn't you feel happier knowing that a real doctor was looking after her?"
"S'pose," he replied, "but not havin' one ain't done me no harm."
"That's a matter of opinion," she replied. Hank made a face behind her back, "When is he arriving?"
"Reverend says tomorrow morning," Jake informed them, "Coming in on the stage."
SSSSS
That night, as she sat brushing out her hair at the mirror on the vanity table Hank had bought her for their anniversary, Emma Jane heard the sounds of a sudden commotion outside. Hurrying over to the window, she saw Hank, Jake, Loren and some other men in the town pointing their guns at two Indians who were standing the street. The townsfolk were yelling at them to get out and the Indians were shouting back in the same language she had heard them use earlier.
"I said git out or yer gonna feel my bullets up yer ass," she heard her husband growl menacingly. One of the Indians said something in response, "Sorry, what was that?" Hank mocked, "Don't understand yer mumbo-jumbo talk."
"Hank!" Emma Jane called out, terrified that a gun battle was about to ensue.
He looked up and saw her leaning out of the window, "Git back inside," he ordered her, "Now."
Emma Jane was about to respond, when who should come barrelling up the street, but Sully, dressed as was his usual way now, in clothes befitting an Indian.
"Put the guns down!" he ordered.
"We don't want them in our town," Jack informed him, staring down the barrel of his shotgun, "they got no business here."
"They're not going to do anyone any harm," Sully protested.
"So says you, practically one of 'em," Hank replied, "Some of us got women and kids to think 'bout."
Emma Jane saw Sully wince at the inference, "The Indians are peaceful people. They don't want to fight with us."
"They're savages," Loren declared.
"They're human beings!"
"What do they want then?" Hank asked.
Sully conversed briefly with them, "They're looking to trade. Horses for food."
"You gotta be kidding me," Loren said, "they ain't getting anything from my store, that's for sure."
"We don't wanna trade," Hank said, advancing forwards, "So tell them to git lost."
Sully had another quick exchange, after which, the Indians turned and started to hurry back down the street. When they were out of sight, the guns were lowered.
"This isn't the way," Sully advised them.
"What would you know?" Loren retorted angrily, his pain over Abigail's death still raw, "I never trusted you with my own daughter and I sure as hell don't trust you when it comes to them Injuns." With that, he turned and walked back towards the store.
"Face it Sully," Hank said, "Nobody trusts ya."
Emma Jane watched as the small crowd dispersed. Sully looked up at her, and she smiled briefly at him, but he didn't return it. Instead, he turned and walked away. A few moments later, Hank appeared in the bedroom.
"Shoulda kept yer head in," he said, "don't wanna give them Injuns any ideas."
"Did you really have to threaten them?" she demanded.
"You want them comin' in here?" he shot back. "Didn't think so," he responded to her silence, "Nobody wants them Injuns in town and if they keep comin', we'll just have to kill 'em all."
"And start a war?"
Hank sighed heavily, "I'm tired Emma Jane, and I ain't havin' this discussion with you, ok? Just do what I tell you."
Emma Jane closed her mouth, determined not to start an argument, but it was a good few hours before her mind allowed her to drift off. The debate was not over.
SSSSSS
The following morning dawned bright and sunny, although it had been raining throughout the night, leaving the streets muddy and damp. Victoria's early morning shrieks of joy roused Emma Jane from her bed, but typically, Hank slept through the whole thing, snoring lightly in the bed beside her. Shaking her head, she got up, washed and dressed and attended to her demanding daughter. She made breakfast for everyone, including Jake, who conveniently happened to drop by just as she was serving.
"Think we scared them Injuns off last night," Jake remarked as he drank his tea.
"They won't be comin' back," Hank agreed, "and if they do, we'll be ready." He looked at his wife, almost daring her to disagree. Emma Jane kept her mouth shut however, determined not to give him the opportunity to browbeat her into submission in front of other people.
The morning dragged on like any other, with the saloon busy. Despite Hank's protestations, and the look on his face that if she left there would be hell to pay, Emma Jane remained steadfast to the promise she had made Charlotte the previous day to take Victoria over to the boarding house for lunch. The Cooper children loved playing with her, and it gave Emma Jane and Charlotte the chance to catch up on all the local gossip.
"You look perplexed," Charlotte said as she greeted her at the door.
"Oh…" Emma Jane sighed, handing Victoria over to an ever eager Colleen, "I suppose you heard all about the run-in with the Indians last night."
Charlotte nodded, "Whole town's talking about it."
"Hank's got it into his head to shoot the lot of them. There's going to be a bloodbath sooner or later."
"Well, the Indians seem to be getting more and more confident. They're certainly coming nearer the town more often," Charlotte mused, "I have to admit, they do make me nervous."
"Me too," Emma Jane agreed, "Especially since I became a mother, but…" she paused, "I'm just not sure that killing them all would solve anything."
"Maybe in the menfolks mind it would."
"Maybe if I really believed Hank's hatred stemmed from a genuine concern for me and Victoria…"
Charlotte looked at her, "You think it doesn't?"
"I think it's a convenient argument. I think he's just prejudiced and he's using us as a reason for it."
"Still, must be nice to have someone who cares," Charlotte mused, "Ever since Ethan left, I've felt quite vulnerable here. It's frightening to think I'm the only person around to look after the children. If anything happened to me..."
"Don't worry," Emma Jane reassured her, "We'd all pitch in." After lunch, she made her way back towards the saloon with her daughter, stopping to talk to various people on the way. As she finished up a brief conversation with one of the local women, there was the sound of horses hooves and the stagecoach rumbled around the corner. It drew up just outside Loren's store and the door opened to reveal a woman in a fetching white dress. As she attempted to get out of the stage in a dignified manner, she lost her footing and fell headlong into the mud.
Jake and Hank, who were lounging lazily on the porch at the saloon started laughing and Emma Jane glared at them, "Go and help her!" she urged her husband.
"More fun standin' here watchin'," he replied.
Emma Jane shook her head in exasperation, thrust Victoria into Hank's arms and hurried over to where the woman was pulling herself back to her feet. "Here, let me help you," she said taking the woman's bag, "Oh dear, your dress…"
"It's fine," the woman replied with false brightness, "I'm sure it'll wash."
"You'll need a lot of washing to get that out," Emma Jane said, "Typical of them to stop right next to a mud puddle and then not offer to help you down." She tutted sympathetically, "I'm Emma Jane Lawson by the way."
"Doctor Michaela Quinn, from Boston."
Emma Jane stared at her, "Doctor?"
"That's right."
"You're our new doctor?" Michaela nodded, "Oh, this is going to be interesting," Emma Jane said, glancing over to where her husband and Jake were still standing watching, "Believe me, this is going to be very interesting."
"It is?" Michaela asked.
Emma Jane nodded, "Welcome to Colorado Springs."
THE END
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story. I'm glad you all liked Emma Jane and Hank. I know that some people might not think there should have been a happy ending because that's not what happened in the series, but for me, this is AU and just because they seem happy at the moment, doesn't mean that Hank and Emma Jane will stay happy. I'm hoping to write some sequels, perhaps dealing with Emma Jane and Michaela's friendship, her reaction to the romance between Michaela and Sully and, of course, the ongoing Indian issues and Hank's prejudices. I hope you'll all continue to read and review.
