Rescuing you

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in Dr Quinn Medicine Woman. The rights to those characters and the show belong to the creators not me. This is just a story for fun.

Chapter 5

The Ballroom at the Quinn residence (Christmas Eve)

Michaela and Sully danced the waltz. The soft candle light from the luxurious Christmas tree gave the room a dream like quality. Couples danced and spoke in soft tones as children ran around laughing and joking with each other all excited that Christmas was here.

As they danced Michaela could feel the heat of Sully's hand next to her waist, it was a innocent thing but her heart couldn't help but beat just that little bit faster. Sully didn't want the dance to end she felt amazing here in his arms it was like she belonged there. He wanted to pull her closer and wrap his arm around the small of her back but resisted the urge.

David stood off to the side sipping his punch laced with something a little stronger. He watched Sully dance with Michaela; he felt the cold stab of jealously run through him. He knew there and then that Sully was a threat to his future with Michaela. He'd spent too long trying to win Michaela round to let this Sully come whisk her away at the last minute.

Michaela's bedroom (Christmas morning)

In the early hours of Christmas morning Michaela lead back on her bed her wrist held above her as she admired the delicate gold bracelet that Sully had given her. She ran her finger over it, a smile spread over her face as she thought about Sully. Then suddenly she remembered David's present that came later in the evening. It was a large heavy pendent covered in lots of diamonds, it was pretty but it was just not her.

Michaela let her arm fall next to her on the bed and let out a sigh. David did love her but the question was did she love him? She believed she did but was it just love for a close friend and college? She just didn't know.

The breakfast room (a few days after Christmas)

Michaela entered the breakfast room, Elizabeth was already sat eating her breakfast alone.

"Good morning mother" she said brightly taking a seat.

"Good morning Michaela" Elizabeth watched Michaela take a biscuit and some bacon "What are your plans today?"

Michaela looked up "I will be going to the hospital, I have some work to do" she smile to herself knowing she was meeting Sully after work.

Elizabeth eyed her sceptically "Is that all your doing today?"

Michaela frowned wondering what her mother was getting at "I will be going out after work…"

"With Mr Sully I suppose?"

"And if I were?" Michaela challenged

Elizabeth took a deep breath preparing herself. "Michaela I do not think that you relationship is appropriate with Mr Sully. You are practically an engaged woman. Do you not care about David's feelings? I saw him at our party the other night and he looked hurt when you were dancing with Mr Sully"

Michaela sighed she didn't know what to say. Since the party she had been wondering how not to hurt anyone's feelings. She cared for David and didn't want to hurt him. But she didn't want to have this conversation with her mother.

"Mother what I do in private is nobody else's business but mine"

"You and I know that is not true. We live in a society where people talk. Think how this could affect your career or your father and David's reputations. Being a woman doctor is one thing Michaela but being a woman doctor who is seen out with two men is another." Elizabeth watched Michaela change from the cheerful person she had been when she walked in to the one that looked troubled and unsettled.

"Um…I need to go now. I shall see you at dinner" Michaela rushed from the room, she bumped into Josef on the way to the door.

"Good morning darling" he beamed at his daughter but then noticed her troubled expression. "Mike what's wrong?"

"Oh nothing, I must be going or I'll be late" Michaela grabbed her wrap and medical bag and fled.

Josef was concerned as he walked into the breakfast room "Do you know what is wrong with Michaela? She practically knocked me over so she could leave the house" he took a seat next to Elizabeth at the head of the table.

"Let's just say that I reminded her of others feelings" she said buttering her biscuit

"Elizabeth I have told you countless times to leave her be she is a grown woman" he looked upset.

"What and let her run around with two men at the same time? I just reminded her of what that may look like to the people around her"

Josef shook his head "One day you'll push her away for good"

Elizabeth shot her head up to look at him "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean you keep telling her to watch other people's feelings but what of her own? She is a …"

"Grown woman. Yes you keep reminding me Josef but she is our youngest daughter"

Josef knew he wouldn't get anywhere today with arguing with her. He sighed and went about eating his breakfast and reading the morning papers.

Boston hospital

After she had finished at the hospital. Michaela felt that her head had been doing overtime. She kept repeating her mother's words in her head. Exhausted she sat down at the partner's desk in her office that she shared with her father. She rested her chin in her hand as she stared off into space.

Sully knocked on the frosted glass door. Michaela jumped she glanced at the clock it was 6pm the time that Sully said he would call on her. She went to the door and opened it. Sully stood there with a gentle smile on his face. The thoughts in her head eased for a moment.

"Hey, it's 6 o'clock"

"So it is" she said simply.

"Can I come in?" he chuckled feeling a bit awkward standing in the hallway.

"Oh…yes" she pulled the door back to admit him.

Sully leaned against her desk watching her put instruments away. She looked distracted "Michaela are you ok? Is something wrong?"

She dropped a book she was putting away; she bent down and picked it up holding it to her chest for security. "I don't…I don't think that it is a good idea us seeing each other so much"

Sully's brow creased. He watched her turn her back to him. "Why? Has something happened?" he saw her shake her head; he reached for her elbow and slowly turned her to face him again. Unleashed tears were in her eyes which concerned him more.

"You can tell me any thing. I'm your friend, talk to me" he pleaded.

Michaela's stomach flipped there it was he thought they were just friends. Was she reading too much into their relationship? She sighed "My mother reminded me this morning how our relationship could look to Boston society and also of David's feelings"

Sully stood up straight and listened. What did she feel about their relationship? Did she think it was just friendship? He mentally shook himself he needed to think about the moment. "Well the only thing that matters is what you feel"

Michaela looked up into his handsome face pleased he was here with her. She knew that she wanted to be with him as a friend or more. "So where are we going for dinner?" she smiled for the first time that day.

"Are you sure?" Michaela nodded "Good, I thought I would show you my territory"

Michaela looked puzzled "Colorado?" she asked.

"No…" he chuckled although he would love to show her Colorado Springs one day. "I want to show you the area where I'm living in Boston"

"Oh that sounds wonderful" she grabbed her wrap from the cloak rack and they left.

Near the docks

Sully helped Michaela out of the carriage. They were so close to the docks she could almost smell the salt in the sea. Michaela looked up at the large stone building in front of her. It looked as if it had seen better days but it was in good condition and looked quite respectable.

"Come on" Sully said as he took her gloved hand. He led her inside.

"Do you own this place?" she asked curiosity getting the better of her.

Sully chuckled but Michaela found no amusement in what she had said "No I don't own this place. I rent an apartment upstairs. But it's the best apartment in the place"

Sully opened the apartment door for Michaela. Once inside Michaela looked around with interest hoping to find out more about Sully. The apartment was quite homely but it lacked a woman's touch.

"What do ya think?" Sully stood in the middle of the room with his arms wide open.

"It's nice" she smiled at him.

"Glad ya like it" he removed his jacket throwing it over a nearby chair. He also took Michaela's wrap and hung it on the back of a chair.

"Now that you have me here what are we going to do for dinner?" she turned up the corner of her mouth.

"I thought we could make dinner together and eat it on the roof" he grinned as he lit the small stove. He took a big pot out of the cupboard.

"Sully you should know something, I have never cooked a day in my life. My mother tried to teach me but it just didn't work out" she walked to his side to see what he was doing.

"Perhaps ya didn't have the right teacher. I'm not saying that I'm a chef or anything but I can put a simple meal together" he glanced at her sideways.

"Ok so where do we start?" she smiled thinking that this could be fun.

Sully took her hand and held it up "First we need to wash our hands. Think ya can do that?" he teased.

Michaela lifted her chin "That sounds easy enough" she went to the sink and poured water over her hands, she glanced around for the soap but found none. "Sully where is your soap?"

Sully approached and lifted the lid from a small china pot and lifted the soap out of the dish. "Here it is" he stood observing her wash her hands. Michaela turned not knowing that Sully was stood behind her. She flicked water droplets all over his shirt.

"Oh I'm sorry Sully. Do you have a towel?" she said embarrassed.

"Here…" he handed her a towel. Sully quickly washed his hands.

"Umm what do we do now that we have mastered the art of hand washing?" she teased.

"We need to cut up the vegetables" Sully handed her a cabbage and a knife.

Michaela looked at the cabbage thinking that she had been thrown in the deep end. Sully laughed at the expression on her face.

"What do I do?" she asked wrinkling her nose.

"You first wash it then cut it up"

"I can do that" she said to herself looking back at the foreign object in her hand.

Sully peeled and cut the carrots. He looked over at Michaela who was now cutting the cabbage. Her face was fixed with concentration. Sully grinned to himself and walked up behind her so that he could look over her shoulder.

"You look like your doing surgery" he chuckled.

Michaela turned her head to look at him "Well I am a doctor. Anyway I think I'm doing quite well" she kept chopping.

"Ok I'll leave you to it"

After they chopped the vegetables and put them in the pot with the meat. Michaela took her chance to look around Sully's apartment. She noticed two wooden figures on a shelf. On was of an eagle and the other of a wolf. Michaela lifted the wolf figurine.

"Do ya like them?"

"Yes they are lovely. Where did you get them?"

"I made them" Sully took the wolf from her hands.

"You did? They are wonderful" she was surprised the figures were beautiful they could have been sold in a store.

"Thanks, I actually have a real one of these back home in Colorado Springs" he spoke wistfully as he looked down at the figure in his hands. "He's a great friend to me, he looks out for me"

Michaela noticed the hint of sadness in his voice "I would like to meet him one day"

Sully looked back up at her "Perhaps one day" he smiled.

Once the food was cooked they took it up to the roof. Sully had already set up a table and two chairs. Behind her Sully was serving the food while Michaela looked out over Boston. The view was breath taking; she could see the sea stretching out in front of her and the ships bobbing up and on the docks.

"You do have the best apartment" she spoke in awe of the scenery.

"Thanks, dinner is severed"

Michaela made her way to the table and Sully pulled the seat out for her. After they ate Sully sat back and patted his stomach. "That was good for someone who has never cooked before"

"Thank-you but you did most of it" she smiled and looked back out over the docks. "It's beautiful out here above the streets"

"Sure is" he kept his focus on her.

"Do you miss Colorado?"

"Yeah, there is no where like it" he noticed her sigh. He stood. "Come here I want to show you something" he took her hand. He gently turned her around so that her back was to him, leaning in he pointed over her shoulder,

"See that rock over there?" she nodded she could feel the heat of him against her, it was much welcomed.

"If we wait a couple of minutes we will see a ship"

They stood in silence waiting fro the ship to appear. The ship emerged from behind the rock. "Now listen carefully" Sully instructed.

They could hear sailors sing over the wind, Michaela smiled "How did you know we would be able to hear singing?"

"I know they come by every couple of nights. I thought they could be our entertainment for tonight"

They listened to the singing awhile longer before the ship moved on. Michaela shivered from the cold night air and partly because Sully's breathe hit the back of her neck.

"Are ya cold?"

"A bit"

Sully placed his hands on her shoulders and rubbed them up and down slowly. "Is that better?"

She defiantly felt much warmer. She bit her bottom lip.

"Do ya wanna go in?"

"No, it's nice out here" she knew if she said yes then their contact would be broken.

"Ya can share my jacket" he offered.

Michaela swallowed and turned to face him looking into his deep blue eyes. Sully slowly pulled her into him. He could feel her body close to his, his heart rate sped up a little. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

Michaela trembled and her stomach flipped, she placed her hands on his strong chest. Sully lowered his head and touched his lips with hers. Michaela closed her eyes her chest rising and falling with deep breathing.

Sully pulled back to gage her reaction. Michaela opened her eyes looking at him with a slight smile playing on her lips. She pulled the lapels of his jacket pulling him in again to kiss her again. Sully's hand slipped up her back holding her steady to him. This time Michaela opened her mouth to him. This was all new to her she had never kissed David like this.

Her lips were soft against his as they moved in time with his. He felt her shake slightly. He pulled back looking into her eyes. "Are you ok?"

She couldn't speak her knees felt weak she was grateful that she was holding on to him. "I…I'm fine, I've never…never"

"It's ok" he smiled and stroked her cheek with his hand.

Chapter 6 on its way.