Chapter 3

"What'd you wish for?"

"If I tell, it won't come true."

"Well, we're courtin'. You're not supposed to keep secrets."

"Is that what you think courting means?"

"What do you think it means?"

"Well, it's a time when you…talk."

"Talk? That's all? I thought it was…courtin' and sparkin'."

"Michaela, wake up," Sully urged, feeling guilt balling up in the pit of his stomach for letting her doze off. He lay her down, softly patting her cheeks. She began to come to, and he continued to rouse her. "Please, Michaela. Stay with me!"

"Is that what you think courting means?" she mumbled, her eyes fluttering open, as tears poured out. He gently brushed the hair out of her face and delicately examined her head wound. The bleeding had stopped, but it was still a nasty cut, and he hoped the doctor would be able to fix her up and give her something for the pain.

"What?"

"It's a time when you talk," she whispered. Sully's heart froze in his chest for a moment, and he looked down into those mismatched eyes, seeing a spark of memory there.

"Michaela," he said, smiling a little. "You remember?" She started to doze off again, but he patted her face again, keeping her with him. "Michaela, c'mon. Don't do this. Don't sleep. God, I'm so sorry. I shoulda been watchin' ya more carefully." He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer to the Spirits or to God or whoever was listening at that particular moment. "Please don't let me lose her. Please…"

"Sully?" He felt a hand grab his, and he opened his eyes, seeing her looking up at him now.

"God, Michaela," he whispered, taking her hand in his and kissing her knuckles. "Ya came back to me."

"I…I had this dream," she whispered. "It's so fuzzy." He scooped her back up into his arms and continued on toward the road. It couldn't be more than a mile up. "It sounded like me and…and you."

"That wasn't a dream," he whispered. "It was your memory." She shook her head.

"I don't even know you. How could I have memories of us, when I've never even met you?" Sully sighed heavily, his heart aching as much as his back, arms, and legs.

"We'll talk about it when you're feelin' better," he whispered. She wanted to protest, but the pain was increasing again, and she didn't feel like doing anything anymore.

"Just talk to me. Keep me…keep me talking." Sully nodded.

"Alright. What do you wanna talk about?"

"Tell me…tell me what you know about me." He looked at her, but he realized this was her way of deciding if she could trust him once and for all.

"Alright," he said quietly. "I…uh…don't know where to begin." Michaela groaned in pain, and she closed her eyes. "Michaela, stay with me."

"I'm with you," she assured him. The…the sun's in my eyes." Sully turned a bit so the sun was hitting his back and not her eyes, and she opened them again.

"Alright," he said quietly. "I…uh…I know ya came from Boston, 'cause I went there."

"You did?"

"Yeah. Ya needed me to send some papers about some liver detoxifying medicine. Cloud Dancin' taught ya."

"Who's he?"

"He's one of the lives you're gonna save."

"Oh," she said incredulously. But she remained silent.

"I…I got to worryin' about ya, so I came after ya. I met your ma, Elizabeth. Your sisters, Rebecca, Marjorie, Maureen, and Claudette." Michaela smiled a little.

"What did they think of you?"

"Well, I'd already met your ma once, so she was kinda used to me. I don't know what your sisters really thought of me, but Rebecca sure was nice."

"Rebecca's wonderful," Michaela said slowly and quietly. "And Father? Did you meet my father?" When she didn't receive a response, she grew frightened. "I don't understand, Sully. I don't understand. This doesn't make sense to me!"

"I know. Shhh…don't get yourself all worked up. It's gonna be alright. We're gonna figure this out, but ya gotta trust me."

"Why won't you tell me?"

"I'll explain everything later, alright? I just want ya to get better. That's what matters the most." Michaela frowned, but she decided to do as he asked for now. So they continued on in silence, both praying that they'd find the road into Soda Springs soon.

By the time they'd found a road, the sun was setting. He knew that they needed to get into town fast, or else the telegraph office and the clinic would be closed down. He had to get word to town to inform Custer that he had Michaela but they'd be at least a day more in returning, because she needed medical attention. He had already decided not to mention the extent or nature of her injuries for fear that Custer would take the news out on the Cheyenne and kill them anyway.

"Where are we?" Michaela asked in a daze, as the small group turned toward Soda Springs.

"We finally found a road," he said softly. "It's a main road, so I'm sure somebody'll come along and give us a ride." Michaela closed her eyes and rested against his shoulder. "Just don't go to sleep."

"I wouldn't dream of it," she whispered. So they continued on toward town, and all the while, Sully was praying for someone to come along. Sure enough, about ten minutes later, a wagon came rambling up the road, and Sully was relieved to see who was driving the wagon.

"Robert E.!"

"Sully?" Robert E. asked, holding his hand above his eyes to shield out the sun. When he saw who Sully was carrying, he quickly brought the wagon to a stop beside him.

"I gotta get her to Soda Springs fast."

"Put her in the wagon," he said quickly. "I'll take ya two into town. Ought to be there in twenty minutes. Fifteen if I drive fast." Sully nodded and put Michaela in the back of the wagon. Robert E. seemed to be waiting for Sully to get in the front with him.

"Go on. I'm stayin' with her." Robert E. nodded in understanding.

"Yah!" he commanded, slapping the reins and rushing off toward Soda Springs. All the while, Sully cradled Michaela in his arms, her head lolling against his shoulder.

"We're gonna be there soon, Michaela. Just stay with me."

"With you," she whispered, her eyes fluttering open a bit. He looked down into her eyes, and he saw tears there. He wished he could soothe them away, but he didn't want to scare her. He wanted to tell her she was safe and kiss her fears away, but she didn't even remember him. He wasn't certain what broke his heart more: the fact that he couldn't tell her how he felt without scaring her or the fact that she couldn't remember who he was.