Michaela still peered up into Sully's eyes. She didn't know what to do. Everytime he looked at her like this, she lost her ability to think coherently. Although… What Sully had just said couldn't be misinterpreted, now could it? Should she believe him? Again? Now, however, she had to get the picture of Mary kissing him out of her mind where the scene from the reservation still lingered as well. And those were only women from his past, what about the future ones? She had seen the looks he had gained from some of the females at the ball in Wells. Since her trust in other people had been shattered by David, she found it extremely difficult to give her trust to a man who had already disappointed her once. Suddenly the name Paula occurred to her. She had traveled from Wells to Colorado Springs with Sully and all he had told her about that "affair" was that she didn't matter to him.
Michaela tried to concentrate. For that she had to take her eyes away from him. At the same moment, however, as that thought crossed her mind, she noticed Sully's gaze changing. It was as if he mutely begged her not to give up on him, on them.
Mary eyed the scene in front of her. She just couldn't believe it. Had she dreamed last night? Still taken aback from Sully's somewhat harsh tone towards her, the young woman grew angry and startled the couple with her outburst. "You wanna tell me last night meant nothing? Why do you think I'm here? To make a fool of myself?" Seeing that she had both their attention, she continued, "I know you Sully. You would never have talked to me the way you did if you weren't interested in me. You had the same look in your eyes that you reserved only for Abigail when we were all together in the old days. You laughed with me, you hugged me and you even spent the night with us!" Mary was almost screaming now.
Sully felt Michaela jump at the last words. Instantly pulling her close again, he made sure she couldn't leave. He tried to control his anger when he responded to Mary. "First of all, you better keep your voice low because Hannah is still sleeping and I don't want her to hear the things you think you have to say. And second, I'm sorry if you took my actions wrong, but I was just chatting with an old friend and felt comfortable, that's all. Now I'm gonna tell you again and I hope I don't have to repeat it once more: I ain't interested in you for more than a friend. Michaela is the woman I love and that's not gonna change."
Mary stared at Sully. What was wrong with him? She couldn't have misread him so completely, now could she? For her, Sully looked as if he was afraid of something. Seeing him clutching onto the lady doctor and noticing his anxiuos expression when he looked at that woman, Mary was sure it was the doctor's fault that Sully reacted this way. Directing her words at Michaela now, she asked accussing, "What have you done to him? The Sully I know was never afraid of anything. Even when Loren yelled at him and threw him out of his house, I've never seen him trembling with fear as he seems to do when you are concerned. And if it's about his daughter, we don't need your help…"
Michaela stopped listening because she finally recognized that Sully's only fear was that she would leave. Gently squeezing his hand that still gripped on her shoulder, she carefully wriggled herself out of his embrace. She took one step towards Mary and cut her speech off abruptly. "I have no time for that nonsense, there is a patient waiting for me. But since you don't want to understand what Sully is telling you, maybe what I'm saying can settle the affair: Hannah gave me the job of being her mother, her father agreed and I'm not willing to give it up. These are the only facts that count. And now excuse me, I have to change." Turning, she hurried towards the porch stair.
Mary gaped at the doctor's retreating figure. She felt like a little girl, scolded by her mother. It was as if she snapped out of a dream. Sensing her cheeks growing hot, she asked herself if there could be something more embarrassing than her situation. Although Sully had told her twice that he loved another woman, she had insisted he didn't. What had been getting into her? She should leave that place immediately. Glancing at Sully she murmured, "I'd better be going."
Sully breathed a sigh of relief. "Good idea."
Inside the homestead Michaela first looked after Hannah. Her little girl lay curled up on her side and was still sleeping with the thumb in her mouth and the bunny clutched to her chest. Smiling at the sight, Michaela fought the urge to stroke the soft blond hair. She didn't want to wake her. She had to hurry back to Mr. James.
Since Sully knew that Michaela wanted to change, he waited for her on the porch. He wasn't quite sure how to approach her when she came out. Supporting himself on his elbows on the railing, he let his gaze roam over the landscape in front of him. Being oustide always set his mind on peace but this time he couldn't stop wondering why things had gotten out of control once again. What had he done wrong that Mary came to mistaken conclusions? He sure hadn't wanted to offend her, just as he hadn't wanted to do that to Flying Sun. Instead of that he had managed to hurt Michaela once more and was running the risk of losing her for good.
Sully was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the door opening behind him. When he didn't turn around, Michaela carefully stepped towards him. Sully started, hearing her quietly saying, "I have to go back to the clinic. Maybe you can take Hannah into town some time today."
Sully wasn't recovered from her sudden appearance yet and turning slightly in her direction he mumbled, "'course we'll come if you wanna see us." He didn't dare to meet her eyes.
Michaela sighed. Noticing the almost forlorn and desperate expression on his face, she felt a wave of compassion flooding through her. Depressing the urge to hug him, she just lifted her hand and rested it momentarily on his upper arm. "I'll be at the clinic all day long."
Before Sully could manage a reply, Michaela was already down in the yard. Touching the spot where he still could feel the soft pressure of her palm, he felt his heartbeat speeding up and hope was settling in again. Determined to not make any more mistakes, he decided to go into town as soon as possible.
Two hours later, Hannah sat on the lap of her pa next to the nice man's bed in the clinic. Her ma had explained to her that he had all the bruises and scratches and a wrapped leg because he had saved her from being hurt yesterday. She couldn't quite remember what had happened. Only the feeling of being terrified since she couldn't reach her ma was left. The little girl felt sorry for Mr. James; his eyes looked terribly tired and his voice sounded strange because of the pain he was in. But she was confident that her ma would make him feel better. Right now she entered the room again, carrying a tray that was covered with a cloth. When her ma set the tray down on top of the nightstand, Hannah craned her neck to see what was hidden under the white fabric. Her eyes grew wide when she recognized a syringe and watched her mother preparing it.
Michaela sensed her daughter's discomfort and suggested, "Sully, you and Hannah could take a little walk while I'm tending to Mr. James."
But the little girl was terrified by the thought that her new friend would have to endure the long needle somewhere in his body. "No hurt him, pease?" she begged.
Michaela sighed and stilled her hands for a moment. "Sweetheart, Mr. James has to sleep a lot so he can get well again. But he is in so much pain that he needs my help to fall asleep. Do you understand?"
Hannah nodded slowly. She understood. Mr. James needed to sleep but he couldn't. Thinking hard, she searched for another way to help him than with that dangerous-looking needle. Suddenly she knew it. Bunny always helped her at night and now she would give him to her new friend until he was better. Her little face lit up and she climbed down from her father's lap. Impatiently tugging at his sleeve, she told him, "We go home, pease!"
As lunchtime neared, Michaela felt she could use a little break. Although the teacher slept peacefully right now, she didn't want to leave the clinic. So she decided to sit a little on the bench of the clinic porch. After she had made herself comfortable there, she rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes.
"Ya seem really busy, Michaela." Hank's voice from across the street startled her. Of course she didn't let him see that and dryly replied, "Just as busy as you, Hank."
The saloon owner acknowledged her response by lifting his hand that held the unavoidable cigar, and slightly bending his head. Michaela knew he wasn't done yet, but with his next question he surprised her. "How's the teacher?"
"You really care?" She eyed him curiousely.
Hank's gaze was challenging. "Yeah, sometimes I do."
Michaela didn't feel like arguing and so she simply answered, "He is getting better, it seems he won't lose his foot."
A light nod was his only reply because the barkeeper had noticed Loren and Dorothy coming down the street. He had witnessed the argument about Hannah and was sure there would be a nice spectacle in front of him any moment.
Loren didn't feel right about the whole situation. Sure, he had enjoyed the family evening, but listening to Mary's report from her encounter at the homestead this morning had made him find his way back into reality. Dorothy, however, hadn't rested until he had agreed to come with her to the clinic. Seeing Dr. Mike talking with Hank made him feel even more uncomfortable. His friend loved to provoke the doc and although she always repaid him in kind, Dr. Mike grew often agitated doing so. Loren was sure it was the wrong moment to approache her now.
Michaela had noticed Hank's attention shifting and when she saw the reason for it, she braced herself for the upcoming discussion. She only was surprised that Loren was there, too.
Dorothy was determined to bring the matter to a close. If she understood her daughter right, then it was the doctor who prevented the family reunion. Well, someone should put her into place. When they were within earshot, she immediately demanded. "We are here to take Loren's granddaughter for lunch. Where is she?"
Micheala glanced at Loren and seeing his downcast eyes she knew, he didn't want to be there. So she directed her gaze at the red-haired woman who stood in front of her now. "Are you sick, Mrs. Jennings?"
Dorothy momentarily lost her thread. "I beg your pardon?"
But the doctor just raised her eyebrows and waited until the arrow hit the target. Dorothy felt her cheeks growing hot. Who did that woman think she was? Her tone was icy when she finally found her voice again. "I'm not in the clinic, Dr. Quinn. I'm standing on common land. You can't forbid me that."
Sighing, Michaela straightened. "Of course, you are right." Turning towards the clinic door, she added, "Good day, Mrs. Jennings. Loren."
But Dorothy wasn't one for giving up so easily. "We are not done here, Dr. Quinn. You can't keep the child away from her own grandfather."
At this moment, Sully turned around the corner of the side path to Grace's Café, where he had left Hannah in Charlotte's care. Seeing the crowd that already had gathered around Miss Dorothy and Loren, and noticing Michaela's far too calm expression he knew, there was trouble. Stepping up onto the clinic porch, he demanded to know, "What's going on here?"
Dorothy's reply was stern. "We are here to take my niece's daughter for lunch, but the doctor…"
Surprised that Miss Dorothy obviously still held on to her plan of a family union in the mercantile after he had set Mary straight, Sully didn't let her finish. "I'm sorry to tell you that you won't succeed in that matter, Miss Dorothy, because my daughter asked me to take her mother to join us for lunch and since Hannah seems to mean a lot to you, I'm sure you won't deny her that wish. Am I right?"
Not spending further attention to his late wife's aunt, he closed the short distance between him and Michaela. His blue eyes sparkled with tenderness when he asked her, "Will you come?"
His heart missed a beat when he gained a warm smile in response. "I would never deny my daughter such a wish."
Dorothy gaped at them in disbelief. Not only that Sully had offended her in public, but now she had to watch how he lay his arm around the doctor's shoulders and gently squeezed her while he led her into the clinic. Indignantly, she turned towards Loren to complain that he didn't help her, but her brother-in-law was already on his way to the saloon and so she met Hank's gaze. The barkeeper openly grinned at her. "Ya gotta look for something else to keep ya busy, Dorothy." Before she could reply, Hank vanished into his saloon.
Inside the clinic, the doctor joined Sully in the hallway after she had made sure that Mr. James was still sleeping and Colleen would call for her if necessary.
"Shall we?" When Sully didn't budge, she looked at him questioningly. "Sully, what's wrong?"
Sully couldn't suppress his need to be close to her any longer. Suddenly pulling her into a tight embrace, he made her squeal in surprise. "Sully! Hannah is waiting!"
His voice was muffled because he had buried his face in Michaela's hair. "It's just for a moment." When he felt her relax in his arms, he took a shaking breath. He couldn't put it into words how much he loved this woman. Bending back to look at her face, he noticed the trace of a tear on her cheek. He tenderly brushed it away and assured her softly, "It's gonna be alright, you will see."
Sully gained a nod and a shy smile in response which encouraged him to press a gentle kiss on her forehead. Instantly, both were lost by the sensation that flooded through their bodies, feeling the connection again, and their special bond pulled their lips together. All the pent up emotions of the last days were set free when their lips crashed onto each other and their tongues began the timeless dance of lovers.