Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. The rights to those characters and to the show belong to the creators of the show, to CBS, The Sullivan Company and to A&E.

A Sense of Belonging

Chapter Three

The time after her mother's arrival was painful at best. They each dressed at separate times as if they could somehow maintain the façade of innocence by doing so. Without speaking, Sully knew that it would be best to go check on the property now and give Elizabeth a chance to cool down. Michaela shied away from him when he tried to kiss her goodbye and he ended up feeling hurt and slightly confused by her behavior.

Sully stayed away for most of the day after that, only joining them at the restaurant for dinner. It was an awkward meal at best during which Elizabeth Quinn spoke a total of ten words and those mostly to the waiter. Still Michaela seemed somewhat recovered, talking animatedly to her sisters and even walked Sully to his car where they shared several reassuring kisses. Reluctantly she bid him goodnight and set off for her apartment with her mother and sisters. It was a keen reminder for Sully of how lonely his life was without her and how much her presence meant to him.

Elizabeth retired to her room almost immediately upon entering the apartment. She claimed to be tired from the time difference but Michaela secretly suspected this was part of a well planned guilt trip that she refused to fall victim to. Rebecca went to the room she would share with Marjorie as well but only to put on her pajamas.

As soon as they were alone, Marjorie curled up on the couch and looked over at her sister. "Okay, spill."

"Spill what?"

Grinning widely, she grabbed Michaela by the arm and pulled her down on the couch. "Everything. I mean this is huge." Still glancing at her sister in confusion, Michaela reached for her glass of water taking a large gulp so she wouldn't have to answer right away.

Rebecca reentered the room in pajamas, pulling her hair back out of her face with a band. Looking at the scene before her, she knew Marjorie was instigating something. Michaela's cheeks were already pink and the smirk on Marjorie's face was telltale. "Leave her alone," she chastised as she moved over to join the two of them on the couch.

"Oh come on. You want to know too."

Michaela looked over at Rebecca and back at Marjorie, the still innocent look on her face. "I don't understand what's so huge."

"Michaela do you realize that in the whole time you were dating David I can count on one hand the number of times I saw you kiss him and then this morning..." The same blank look persisted. "Oh come on. I wasn't born yesterday. You two were obviously getting it on."

With a scowl etched into her features, Michaela decided to ignore the last part of Marjorie's comment and focus on the first. "David and I kissed plenty of times. We were just private about our relationship." She gave a little shrug of her shoulders as she finished, thinking back for a moment to David. It seemed like a lifetime ago when she was a different person. That was before her father died, before she moved to Colorado.

Marjorie cocked her head to the side as she considered her sister. "I don't suppose you had the right equipment to interest David though. Good thing Sully is all man."

Rebecca cast a disapproving look at her sister and shook her head, indicating that the subject was still taboo as far as she was concerned. "No it's a good thing that Sully doesn't keep hurtful secrets," Michaela corrected. "I was never upset with David because he was gay. I was upset because he lied to me… our relationship was a lie."

Sensing that she'd hit a sensitive spot, Marjorie quickly changed the subject. "So what about Sully?"

"What about Sully?"

"Oh come on – at least tell us if he's good in bed."

There was a brief moment when Michaela was ready to yell at her sister but that passed quickly to be replaced by a rather comforting thought. All the things she experienced, all the thoughts and questions- the conversations she'd politely bowed out of because she'd never been with a man – that was all over. She was among her sisters, her best friends. Physically, she relaxed. "Yes," she said with a little smirk on her face, drawing her knees up to her chest. "I suppose I have no comparison but uh…" She smiled widely and pressed her legs tight to herself. "I guess mother always left me with the impression that it was something men enjoyed more than woman."

Marjorie moved her eyebrows up and down as she laughed. "That woman is a killjoy. She makes sex sound like some form of medieval torture."

"She had me petrified on my wedding day. To hear her talk about it, I thought I'd be in excruciating pain for the next week while I let my husband have his way." Rebecca rolled her eyes as she settled down deeper onto the couch and hugged one of the pillows to her chest.

"Perhaps she never did enjoy it," Michaela offered. "I mean medically there are problems women experience."

"Oh she probably just laid there stiff as a board waiting for Father to finish." In unison, Rebecca and Michaela scolded their sister but she only laughed. "I'm only speaking from experience," she defended. "I know what sex was like with Everett. I used to turn the television on sometimes."

Michaela's eyes grew large as she considered her sister's words. She wasn't sure what to say in response. For one the divorce wasn't long enough past to make a joke of it but at the same time Michaela couldn't even imagine watching television when she was with Sully. Rebecca took the break in conversation to reach over and take Michaela's hand in hers. "You know we don't feel like mother does about this, don't you?"

Dropping her head, she managed to nod in response. "I know but this morning was rather embarrassing."

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about," Marjorie chimed in. "I mean all I had to do was take one look at him in that towel and I was ready to.."

"Marjorie," Rebecca warned. Michaela hid her own smile at her sister's words, inside feeling proud to have Sully as her fiancé.

"What I mean is, you shouldn't feel bad about anything that happened this morning. Mother should have called first. You're a grown woman with your own life. When I first met Sully in Boston, I know I wasn't very supportive but he obviously loves you and knows how to please you." Marjorie smirked as she spoke this last line.

"It's not a decision I took lightly."

"We know that," Rebecca assured her. "And Mother will come around, just give her time." She yawned as she spoke covering her mouth quickly.

Michaela smiled and gave Rebecca's hand a quick squeeze. "I'm sure you two are tired with the time difference and all. Go on to bed. We can stay up late tomorrow night."

"It's not fun to get old," Rebecca laughed as she stood. "Yes perhaps tomorrow night I'll be a little more alert."

"And I still want to hear more about Sully," Marjorie added as she too headed in the direction of the room they shared.

Michaela just shook her head. "Night," she called after them and received sleepy replies in return.

Having just turned off the last light and climbed into bed, Sully was perplexed by the strange knocking he heard. It took him a moment in the darkened room to figure out it was coming from his front door. Crawling back out of bed, he pulled on a pair of pajama pants and made a mental reminder to take a pair to Michaela's for situations like this morning. Anything would have looked better than a towel when he answered the door.

The knocking came again and he quickly moved through the room, stubbing his toe on the end of his bed. Hopping to the door in pain, he silently cursed whoever was bothering him at this time of night. With a quick look out the peep hole, he could scarcely believe his eyes. Yanking open the door, he smiled widely. "Michaela? Is everything alright?"

"I'm sorry," she began. "Everything's fine. I was just…" She dropped her eyes and swallowed hard as Sully pulled her through the door and into his waiting arms.

"You were just what?"

"Missing you," she whispered already settling her head into the familiar crook of his neck. "I know you don't stay over that often but the bed seemed so empty. You don't mind do you?"

Sully chuckled. "Mind? No I don't mind."

Michaela stepped free of his embrace to remove the light jacket she wore over her pajamas. Sully smiled when he realized what she was wearing and her anxiousness to be near him. "Come on let's get you to bed," he whispered against her ear. Michaela shivered at the deep timber of his voice and then her stomach growled rather loudly. Both broke out in laughter, neither able to contain their mirth.

"I guess my stomach is protesting my picky eating at dinner."

"Can't have you going to bed on an empty stomach." Sully stepped in close and kissed her lips softly, his tongue brushing over her top lip as he pulled away. "Go get comfortable. I'll bring ya something." Michaela started to protest but Sully covered her lips with the tips of his fingers. "Go on."

With that he was gone and Michaela smiled watching his retreat to the kitchen. Sighing contentedly she walked into the bedroom and shook her head at the messiness that abounded. Piles of laundry covered the dresser top and she couldn't help starting to put them away for him. When she finished with that she moved to the futon that doubled as Sully's bed. She smiled hearing his footsteps in the hall and perched herself on the edge, slipping out of her clogs.

Sully appeared in the door with a plate in his hands smiling rather seductively. "How about some mango?"

"Mango?" Michaela looked at him questioningly, wondering why Sully had tropical fruit at his house.

Walking to the bed he picked up a piece and held it just before her lips. Michaela cut her eyes up at him and leaned forward to take a bite of the juicy fruit. Sully watched her carefully, his eyes never leaving her lips. "You still haven't told me why you have mango?" she asked when she finished the piece.

Sully still didn't respond but simply but the plate on the bedside table and motioned for her to lie down. "It's not good to lie down right after you eat," she protested.

He shook his head and dropped to his knees in front of her. He picked up another piece of mango and held it to her lips again but when Michaela tried to bite it he pulled it away. "Uh uh," he whispered never losing eye contact with her. Again he raised the fruit, running it around the edge of her lips. The juice dribbled down her chin but Sully was right there to kiss it away, his lips and tongue lapping the sweet nectar.

Swallowing hard, Michaela reached for a piece of fruit and offered it to Sully as he moved away slightly. Soon not only the piece of fruit but her fingers were in his mouth as he sucked at each one. Michaela felt her skin flush, never noticing how his other hand already worked at the buttons of her pajama shirt. Melting under his caresses, she forgot about her mother and sisters. All she knew and wanted to know was Sully and his touch. Clothing was carelessly tossed to the side as the heat between the two rose. Sully traced a sticky trail of mango over the contours of her body, licking and kissing the path he made. Never coming into contact with her most intimate parts, he lit an all consuming fire in her belly. One minute she was panting and the next stilling his hands against herself as she took in each and every sensation.

When he moved away, the cool air hit her skin and her eyes flew open. Perhaps it was her turn to reciprocate and she made to reach for the plate but Sully stopped her. "Let me," she whispered smiling up at him.

"Not tonight," he said. "I need you." Michaela lowered her eyes and smiled at the effect on his body before welcoming him into her arms.