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.

The Places to Love

Chapter Five

The morning sun was bright against the windshield as they drove along. Michaela was grateful to be outside after what felt like a year long convalescence. She was excited to be going back to work on the next day, ready to return to some sense of normalcy. Yet for now her excitement was focused on seeing the house. According to Sully, the crew had been busy in his absence and when he returned to work at the end of the week, at Michaela's insistence, he was very pleased with the results. When he suggested a trip out there, Michaela jumped at the chance thrilled by the prospect that they might move in sooner than expected.

Looking across now at Sully, she couldn't help but smile thinking of all the ways he'd been there for her this week. From the moment she first met him, she felt connected to him as if their souls instantly knew each other. The relationship had grown beyond anything she'd expected or hoped. Michaela had not taken lightly the decision to move their relationship along physically. Yet when they consummated the relationship something changed, something she couldn't even put into words. Believing that she couldn't feel any closer to him, she never imagined another experience that would somehow transcend that feeling. This week had altered that. Emotionally they had shared something so deep that she truly understood the idea of oneness in not only a physical but an emotional way.

The tinkling sound of the turning signal caught her attention and she returned from her deep thoughts, looking anxiously down the lane for a glimpse of the house. Sitting forward she found her own excitement growing as she caught little glimpses here and there. When they pulled up in front of the house, she was already out of the car before Sully had his seatbelt off. "Hold your horses," Sully laughed as he climbed out of the other side of the Jeep Cherokee.

"I can't help it. It's our house Sully – and it actually looks like a house."

"Wait til you see the inside," he said with a chuckle coming over to take her hand in his. He led her now, proud of the work that had been accomplished. They crossed the threshold and this time Sully didn't insist on carrying her over it, after having promised her last time that he would wait until everything was done. Before she knew it they were standing in a wide spacious kitchen with a skylight cut in above the kitchen island.

"Oh Sully," she whispered. "I almost wish I could cook this is so beautiful."

They both laughed at her statement and it felt good to be jovial with one another again after a week of intense sadness. "Wait til the appliances are in. All stainless steel just like ya wanted."

Michaela gave him a smirk. "Just like I wanted? I don't remember picking out appliances." Sully simply shrugged his shoulders and looked off into the distance as Michaela ran her hand over the smooth finish of the countertop. "And these are really concrete?"

"Sure are. Come on, lots more to show you." He took her arm again and they went back to the living room with its high vaulted ceiling, the stair case finally done though unfinished. They climbed the stairs and Sully led her into the master bedroom proudly. Last time she'd seen the room there were no walls or finishing touches in the least. But now except for paint and a finish on the floor, it was done. Sully pulled her close, hugging her to his chest. "Our room."

"It's beautiful," she whispered feeling as overwhelmed as he did. "I had imagined how it would look."

Afraid that she was disappointed, Sully moved away from her slightly. "Well of course it's not finished either. But it will be soon." He was looking down at the ground, his bottom lip protruding slightly.

Barely suppressing a giggle, Michaela moved over to him. She ran her fingertips over his lips, looking up into his eyes. "Sully you didn't let me finish. It's more beautiful than anything I imagined."

Pressing her close once more, Sully kissed her fingertips before she moved her hand to replace it with her lips. The first kiss was deep and unexpected by both of them, hunger lying just under the surface. Each gave way to the flood of desires building inside of them, letting the kisses continue. Michaela was glad for the way Sully held her, otherwise she was certain her knees would have given way. Sully's hands wandered lower and lower down her back, until each was on her bottom. In on fluid motion he lifted her as she wrapped her legs around him, her arms clinging to his shoulders. There was no furniture in the room to retreat to yet neither seemed able to stop themselves. Steadying her back against the far wall he let go and she slowly sunk back to the ground, her lips still tangled with his.

Neither knew how it happened but soon they were on the floor, lying on their sides as hands moved over their rapidly warming bodies. "I want you," Sully whispered with a deep grunt knowing that things could go no farther.

Michaela giggled and pulled back a little. "I noticed," she said looking downward where his arousal strained against his pants. "Oh Sully, I'm sorry."

"Hey, you don't need to apologize. I can be patient."

Nodding, Michaela smiled. "Well if it's any consolation Mr. Sully, you've got me in quite a state as well."

"What? Dirty?" he laughed looking at the sawdust in her hair and on both of their clothes. They both broke out into a fit of giggles brushing at each other's clothes as they reposed in the other's arms. For awhile they simply laid there, Michaela's head on Sully's chest, her hands moving back and forth across his abdomen. Sully's fingers moved in light circles on her scalp as he studied the wooden beams of the ceiling. "I have something I want us to do," he said finally breaking the silence.

Michaela turned slightly so that her chin rested against his chest and she raised her eyebrows questioningly. "Alright," she said waiting for more details to emerge.

Sully exhaled slowly, watching her closely. "I thought we could plant a tree. I bought one at the nursery yesterday – an apple tree. It could be for the baby."

A cloud fell over Michaela's face at first. She had barely thought about the child they had lost today and suddenly she felt guilty.

Unsure what to make of her expression, Sully spoke again. "If you don't want to.."

"No, it isn't that," she interrupted. "I just feel almost guilty for being so happy this morning but the house and…"

Sully stopped her, placing his fingers against her cheek. "'Chaela let me tell you about when Hannah and Abby died." Swallowing hard, she gave a little nod of her head as she looked up into his blue eyes. "The day of Hannah's funeral when you came back to my house for a bit was the hardest and best day of my life all rolled into one. I had lost two people who meant the world to me and I had met a person who I never wanted to say good-bye to. When you left that day, I felt so guilty. My wife wasn't even dead for two weeks and I already knew that I was attracted to you." He paused, looking deep into her eyes as emotion got the best of him.

"I felt it too," Michaela whispered remembering how she had chastised herself for having feelings for a recent widower.

"What I came to understand though is that grief is like that – it ebbs and flows. Just gotta ride it out, take each wave as it comes and don't look back or feel guilty for being sad or not being sad. Gotta keep moving forward."

Michaela wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself against him in a hard hug. A moment passed but Sully could see that her mind was working on something.

"Penny?" She smiled. "Penny for your thoughts," Sully clarified.

"I knew what you meant." A rosy hue filled her cheeks, tell tale signs of a blush. "What if we'd met while Abby was still alive? Do you think we would still have felt this way?"

"There's simply chemistry between us. I don't know that you can escape something like that."

"What would we have done?"

"The only thing we could have – walked away." Michaela knew he was right and felt thankful for all the hardships that had brought them to this point and for the first time she truly realized that someday she would even come to appreciate this time in their lives.

Sitting up, she pulled at his arm. "I'm ready to plant that apple tree," she said with a smile. "For our baby."

"For our baby," Sully reiterated, knowing that another healing step was about to be taken.

Thank you all so much for reading. I am going to post every weekday and take the weekends off. So first thing Monday morning I'll have a new chapter for you. Enjoy your weekend!!!