Standard Disclaimer: I don't own it; Beth Sullivan does, and A&E, and CBS. I'm just borrowing them.

………………………

In the silence that the night brought with it, Daniel once again relived a memory in his mind…one that was much closer than the last.

Flashback

Daniel fiddled with the saddle on his horse, not really wanting to look back at the two people that were there to see him off. He couldn't put it off any longer, though, when there was nothing left to tighten or check.

He turned and faces Sully and Abigail. Both stood in front of the small homestead that Sully had built. It wasn't long after the wedding.

"You know you don't have to go." Sully said to his friend quietly.

"Well…you found your treasure…I'm still looking for mine."

A small smile played on Sully's lips, but his face quickly turned serious again.

"If you need anything, ever, no matter what it is, you get word to me, and I'll come. You hear?" He said, looking Daniel straight in the eyes.

Daniel looked back, not breaking the gaze once. "Same goes for you."

The two men gave each other an embrace, and then Daniel mounted his horse. Before he rode off, he looked over to the two and said, "You take care of him, Abigail."

"Don't worry, I will." She said, smiling, and linking her arm with that of her husband's.

With a final wave, he was off.

End Flashback

As that memory dissolved, Daniel quickly remembered when he got off the train in Colorado Springs and saw Sully's family with Michaela for the first time. He was amazed how someone could be so lucky twice in his life that his best friend was.

………………………

Ellie lay awake on the bed, fully clothed. She listened intently to the activity that continued in the homestead until she could tell that everyone had gone to bed. Giving herself a half an hour more after the last sign of movement was heard, she quietly got up and made her way out of the room; her shoes in her hand.

With silent movements, she made her way downstairs. She saw Jackson stretched out on the floor, sound asleep, and stopped for a moment. He was the only person she'd ever really had in her life for so long now, but in her mind, she had caused him so much hurt, that it would be better this way. With one last look at him, she quietly opened the front door, and slipped outside.

Ellie sat on the steps and put her shoes on. When she had finished and started heading towards the forested area, she felt something grab her dress. Looking around, she saw that Wolf held the end of the garment in his mouth.

"Wolf, let go, please."

He let the hem go, but when she started walking again, he ran in front of her to stop her.

"Hey," she said, crouching down to his level, "Look, I have to do this. I've hurt them enough already…I can't bear to do it any more. Jackson deserves a good life…and having me around would give him that. Please, let me go."

Ellie reached up and held Wolf's face in her two hands, looking into the animal's eyes.

When she stood up, wolf whimpered, and Ellie ran off towards the woods.

Wolf stood there looking towards the woods and then towards the house. He then ran back to the house, scratching at the door to get someone to open it. When no one did, he ran on the porch to look over towards the woods again. Then, he started to howl.

Sully, who at many times in his life had been a light sleeper, heard the plaintive cries from his furry companion outside. Startled, he sat up quickly; the movement in turn woke Michaela.

"Sully, what is it?"

"I don't know…" he stated, pulling on his buckskins and looking out the window. He saw Wolf standing there in front of the house, looking up at him. "Something's wrong."

"What is it?" she asked, getting out of bed and pulling on her robe.

"I'm not sure."

Sully grabbed a shirt, threw it on, and exited the room, followed by Michaela, and Brian left his room as well, tucking in his nightshirt to his pants.

They ran towards the stairs, but Brian was the first to see it: Colleen's room's door was open, and no one was inside.

"Sully, Ma…Ellie ain't here."

Sully and Michaela looked back towards Brian, and then all three ran downstairs. Jackson was already awake.

"What's doing on?" he said, already dressed.

"Not sure…but Ellie ain't upstairs anymore," Sully said, rushing towards the door and opening it.

Jackson looked around the room, and then over to a chair in the corner, where Ellie's old Indian blanket had been sitting.

When Sully opened the door, Wolf came bounding in, and barked animatedly at Jackson.

"She's gone." Jackson said, startled.

Michaela ran upstairs to grab shoes, as Sully, Jackson and Brian ran out the door towards the barn. They all quickly saddled horses.

"Brian, stay here with Katie. Jackson, you go into town and get Daniel. Michaela and I will start looking for her around here." Sully stated.

"But, she's my sister!" Jackson protested.

"You can find your way into town without trouble. If we separate out there you're gonna get lost and then we're gonna have to find both of you. Get Daniel and start looking closer to town."

Jackson sighed, but nodded.

Michaela ran outside and quickly got onto Flash, her medical bag in her hand. They all went in their directions, Wolf following Sully and Michaela.

………………………

When sleep overcame him, Daniel's dream showed him something that he thought was completely different than the memories had had recalled before. In his dream, it was a bright clear afternoon, and he was sitting in Grace's café.

He was sitting there talking to Sully when Ellie came up. She was no longer skinny, but had filled out and looked healthy; a rosy shade graced her cheeks and a smile graced her face.

"I see you found it." Daniel said, looking up at her.

"Yup." She said, smiling even brighter and holding up the book in her hand.

She came around and hugged Daniel around the shoulders before sitting next to him. "Thanks, Pa." she said.

But, before the dream could progress any more, he heard knocking at the door, and was suddenly awake.