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 Twenty-six

The sun was just rising in the eastern sky as Sully lay on the bed with Michaela, his hand draped across her stomach. Both had to be up early this morning. Michaela was due in surgery at 7 am while Sully was meeting Max for breakfast. As if sensing that they both needed this extra time with each, they had awoken early. Their early morning coupling was not hurried though, but rather slow and passionate. When Sully moved to the side there were no words from either of them, only touches and light kisses as they clung to one another on the bed. Their limbs were still tangled together, Sully's head resting just under her collarbone.

"I love you," Sully whispered finally breaking the silence in the room. Michaela smiled and raised her right hand to run it through his hair. He raised his head to look up at her. "You're so beautiful." Michaela blushed and shook her head, letting her eyes drop to the side. "I know I tell you that a lot but I mean it."

"I know," she whispered making eye contact with him once more. "I love when you tell me I'm beautiful… I never really thought I was."

Sully pulled back to look at her skeptically. "You never thought you were beautiful?" He knew she was shy about it but how could she not look in the mirror and see what he saw.

"My father always told me I was but no one else seemed to notice." She ran her hands down his back giving him a brief smile.

"They noticed."

Michaela laughed at the expression on his face. "You seem certain."

"They noticed you even if they didn't tell you. Boys are like that."

"What? Evil?" It was now Sully's turn to laugh before they both grew contemplative again. This time it was Michaela who broke the silence. "Did you hear them come in last night?"

Sully knew she was talking about Daniel and Marjorie without asking. "Yeah. Kind of hard not to hear 'em."

"Well as long as they aren't on the rug again," Michaela said jovially.

Sully was surprised at her joking attitude and looked up at her. "So it doesn't bother you anymore?"

Michaela gave a little shrug. "I guess it's not my business, not that I approve. I just wonder what they see in each other."

"Perhaps they are both simply lonely. That can drive people to act in ways they normally wouldn't."

"I suppose." She paused for a moment staring up at the ceiling as her hands continued to run over her husband's body. "What do you think they did last night?"

Laughter racked her husband's body as he looked up at her again. "Well after they got home, probably something like what we just did."

Michaela didn't bother to admonish him but chuckled as well. "Oh, so he was growling like a tiger."

Sully wrinkled his nose up at her. "I didn't growl."

With a secretive smile, Michaela nodded. "Oh yes, you did."

Rolling over onto his back Sully looked over at her and then started on an imitation. "Oh Sully…. Yes yes… no no… YES!!!"

Swatting at him playfully, Michaela pulled herself up onto her knees grunting and growling as she thrust her hips out. Sully grabbed her midsection pulling her down on top of him as their lips met once again. Just as they broke apart, Michaela's stomach growled loudly starting their laughter again.

"Let's feed the beast," Sully teased rubbing her stomach lovingly as they both started to get up from the bed.

Max waited nervously at the counter of the coffee shop. He couldn't believe that Sully had asked to meet with him. The meeting should have been with Kat but that wasn't what Sully wanted for some reason. Picking up his coffee mug with two hands he blew on the muddy liquid inside before taking a sip as he once again cast a glance around the place. This time his eyes settled on a young man just entering and he knew instantly this was the person he was waiting for.

"Max?" Sully asked as he approached. The older man was already standing and offering his hand.

"Yeah, it's nice to meet ya."

"Nice to meet ya too," Sully replied and took the seat beside Max. "I want to thank you for meeting with me."

"You're welcome… I guess I just don't understand why ya wanted to see me."

"Right," Sully said nodding to the waitress as she poured him a cup of coffee as well. "I needed to talk to someone who knows her. Figured you'd be my best bet."

"That's true," Max said. "She really doesn't have many other people who really know her."

"I know she's hurting. I'm not trying to hurt her more but I gotta protect myself, my family. I don't think she realizes what happened when I was young."

"She thinks Snowbird and Cloud Dancing took you away from her."

Sully nodded. "That ain't completely true. She was on drugs…."

"I know," Max interrupted. "It's hard for her to accept responsibility, always has been. I can see her not accepting it in this case either. But Sully she just wants to be part of your life. Can't ya let her be that?"

"I just don't know…. I don't want to be hurt."

"Neither does she, son. She won't hurt you again, that I'm sure of." Max grew quiet watching as Sully mulled it over in his mind. "You don't got to decide something right now. Just think on it – take all sides into consideration. She ain't going anywhere."

"I will," he promised nodding his head as he met the older man's eyes. "I will."

A knock at Michaela's door caught her off guard. She was taking a quick break between surgeries, hoping to grab a quick bite to eat before returning to the operating room. Quickly she crossed to the door and opened it, expecting to see Marjorie or one of the nurses. Instead she was greeted by a gray haired woman who seemed familiar to her.

"Dr. Quinn?"

"Yes. Can I help you?"

"I'm sorry to bother you but I needed to speak to someone… someone who knows my son…"