Epilogue

Michaela sat at her desk at the clinic waiting for Hannah to wake up from her nap. She used the time to finish a couple of patient files, but she couldn't concentrate on her task. Earlier, she had filled up her medical bag and seeing Sully's beads had distracted her so much that several minutes passed without her even realizing that she was still staring at them, lying in front of her. Absent-mindedly, she touched the round forms as the last few weeks went through her mind. She had never been so happy in her entire life, not even when she had been presented with her medical degree. Since Sully had told his Cheyenne family that he wanted to build a home with her, they had resumed their old familiar routine. Sully would come early in the morning, doing the chores in the barn and tending to the animals. Then the three of them had breakfast and after that, they went to town. Sully took care of the addition for the schoolhouse and helped Robert E. with the rooms in the clinic while she saw her patients. They spent some afternoons together, exploring the woods, while evenings were spent at the homestead. It hadn't rained lately and so they sat on their porch step each night. While they waited for Hannah to fall asleep, they talked about the day and shared tender kisses. Michaela couldn't quite grasp it but there was something new in Sully's caresses… All she could tell was that she felt incredibly loved.

However, despite her being happy beyond all measures, Michaela couldn't deny the anxiety that kept growing slowly but steadily inside of her. If Sully had made his confession of love in front of her family in Boston, they would have been engaged for sure by now, but he hadn't asked her yet. Even more, it didn't look as if he had the intention to do so. Of course she trusted him; their situation wasn't comparable with the one between her and David when she had thought that he would ask for her hand, but still…

Sully had knocked and even entered the examination room without Michaela noticing it. He watched her fingering his beads, lost in thoughts. He could tell that something was worrying her and of course he knew what it was. However, he couldn't propose yet, and although he had something special for her, he didn't have a ring. Well technically he had one, but he couldn't give her Abigail's ring. He didn't want Michaela to feel as if she just replaced his late wife because that wasn't true. He had never known the kind of love he felt for Michaela, he hadn't even known that the feelings he had for her existed at all.

A few days ago, he had received a letter… maybe he should take the offer and earn the money and when he came back, he could propose and present her with a ring she deserved. On the other hand, he couldn't leave again, at least not right now. Maybe when things had settled down and she felt secure enough in their relationship… Michaela would understand that he needed a job when he had a family and wanted to build them a house. He would make sure to come back as often as he could.

As he stepped closer to the desk, a floorboard creaked. Michaela's head shot up and she met his eyes. Seeing him standing there made her blush heavily and she hastily put the beads back into her medical bag. A fleeting smile crossed Sully's face; she still acted as if it was wrong to show him her feelings. As she asked out of the blue, "You do love me?" he knew that she didn't need a ring but his word. At this moment he made his decision and assured her, "'Course I do, I'm telling you."

A memory caught up with them; several weeks ago they had that sort of discussion about the meaning of words, only now, no one was angry. Sully finally closed the distance between them and lifted her hand from the desk to press a kiss to its back. He peered into her eyes as he told her, "I love ya," and the color on Michaela's cheeks even deepened.

Taking the awkwardness out of the moment Sully asked, "Hanna's still sleeping?" Michaela nodded and started to rise from her chair but he tenderly stopped her by laying his hand on her shoulder, saying, "You finish here and I'll get her."

He needed to have a word with his daughter and he didn't want Michaela to know what it was about.

A few moments later he entered the room that Michaela had decided to make her private one in the clinic. He smiled with the memory of her reaction when she had first seen it after he had redecorated it for her. She had hugged him tightly and then pressed her lips against his before she whispered into his ear, "Thank you." Only once before had she taken the initiative to kiss him and that had been when she had thought she would never see him again.

Anyway, looking at his daughter who began stirring made him smile again. He stooped down next to the bed he had built for her and gently stroked her soft blond hair from her brow. "Hey, sweet girl."

Hannah's eyes flew open and she beamed at her father. She reached out for him to hug her and he immediately complied. The little girl was happy, she reveled in having both her parents close all the time. Her pa hadn't been out hunting again yet and when he went to look after his traps, he was only away for the day. He even took her and her ma out in the woods to show them things like the tracks the animals left behind or how to make a fire by using special stones or sticks. He had even shown them where he slept. If only life could stay this way! She sighed heavily against her pa's ear so that he straightened again and looked at her questioningly, "Hey, what's the matter?" But the little girl only giggled and asked, "Take a walk?"

It was Sully's turn to sigh now and he hoped that his daughter would understand and not be too disappointed, "I wanna ask ya a favor, sweet girl."

Hannah eagerly sat up and looked at her pa expectantly. He sounded serious, but not in a bad way and so she nodded with shining eyes.

"I wanna take your ma for a walk but I want you to stay in town. I'll ask Colleen if she has time for you or we find someone else." Seeing his daughter's face falling, he explained hastily, "I wanna ask your ma to marry me so we can be a real family…"

His last words were muffled because the little girl had thrown her arms around his neck and nearly choked him while she squealed in delight. For that, she would of course stay back in town!

Although Michaela didn't understand why Sully wanted to take the walk alone with her, she didn't really mind. The longer they walked the more puzzled she grew though. Sully hadn't said one word yet and she felt his hand that continued to hold hers, growing sweaty.

"Sully?" she asked, shyly looking up at him while they kept walking, "Where are we going?"

Sully looked back at her questioning face. It wasn't so that he had second thoughts about asking her but he grew anxious that she might say no. She came from a world where formal things were important. Certainly a question that would change their lives forever deserved a special ceremony… However, if she wanted to share his life here, she wouldn't mind him asking her out in the woods, even without a ring… At least he hoped so.

While Sully still hesitated to respond, Michaela realized that they were on their way to her favorite place; she had failed to recognize it at first because they came from a different direction. Sensing the increase of his tension, she grew nervous herself. What did he have in mind?

"Sully?" Feeling her anxiety, Sully knew he had to set her mind at ease as fast as he could. He halted next to a large oak and smiled reassuringly down at her. Knowing that he no longer needed to answer her question about their destination, he chose instead to recount a memory that was connected to this spot. "When I first saw you… I remember thinkin' you had the most beautiful long brown hair I ever saw…"

His voice trailed off and Michaela gazed at him in bewilderment, "You had time to look at my hair when you were yelling at me?"

Sully chuckled, seeing the astonished expression on her face. He gripped her hand tighter again and pulled her towards the fallen log where they sat down. Sully took her hands in his and began to reveal his secret. "You sat here at this very place when I first saw you. You were leanin' back to let the sun shine on your face. Your hair hung down like a shiny curtain and almost reached the ground. It looked beautiful."

His eyes never left her face while he spoke and so he could watch her emotions changing. Michaela looked almost shy again and that was one thing that amazed him about her. He had thought that such a beautiful woman was used to compliments, but she grew rather uncomfortable than taking pleasure in hearing them. Reassuringly smiling at her, he continued, "I wanted to see ya closer but made a twig snap and so you turned around. I thought you were an angel…" He lifted his hand to tenderly trace the outline of her face with his fingertips.

Feeling the unbelievingly soft touch of his calloused hand, Michaela blushed again and was flooded by her emotions for this man. He was the only person she had ever met who made her feel that she could be herself; she didn't need a façade when she was around him. He had freed her soul. She wished she could show how much she loved him…

Still lost in his loving gaze, Michaela was startled when Sully suddenly broke their connection and slid from the log. When he knelt down in front of her, her heart started to race. Would he actually…?

Sully's hand shook when he fumbled in his pocket for an item before finally producing it. It was a very small wooden box and he explained in a wavering voice, "I made this for you." He took her hand, turned it over and placed the box onto her palm.

Michaela looked at it in amazement, in the lid he had skillfully carved her image! She still didn't know what to think though. The box was just big enough for a ring, but if he wanted to give her a ring, why didn't he slide it on her finger?

Sully watched her admiring his work but he could tell that she grew puzzled again. "Open it," he softly urged her and when she did so, he explained, "It's a turquoise, it promotes healing and good luck."

Michaela looked down at the shining blue gem; it was beautiful. She barely heard Sully's words. Only when he tenderly added, "I wanna put it in your wedding ring," did she lift her gaze to meet his eyes again. Sully sincerely continued, peering into her soul, "I wanna be with you."

Taking a deep breath he amended, "I need to be with you. I'll love you all my days."

The intensity of the emotion in his voice touched her core and when he asked her, "Will you marry me?" she didn't even need a heartbeat to answer him, "Yes."

Sully instantly rose to his feet and Michaela had only time enough to put the box on the log before she felt herself pulled into his arms.

For a moment they stood in a tight embrace, both with their hearts beating wildly but in the same rhythm. Then Sully bent back and he didn't suppress the joy and fervor he felt when he covered her soft lips with his for an earth-shattering kiss. As Michaela reciprocated in kind for the very first time, they both knew it: they were home.

They didn't know that the spirits had chosen that day to be special for them. It was May 20th.