The days passed by as if in slow motion for both Michaela and Sully. The only highlight being their chat on Skype every night.

Michaela tried to focus on the positive things, and toned down her problems with her parents when speaking with Sully,

but he sensed that being at home was more difficult than she let him know.

"I'm leaving for camp tomorrow," he said observing her reaction.

"I know…."

She looked away.

"Say 'hi' to the kids from me… I miss you all," she let out sigh, and they went silent for a while.

"'Chaela?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't put on a brave face for me. I'll be honest with you. 3 weeks without talking to you is going to be hell for me, and I'm going to worry about how you are."

"What are you saying?" she felt nervous all of a sudden.

Was he going to say he could not do it? That it would be too much for him?

"Just that I…" Sully hesitated. He had never been very good at expressing his emotions.

His "I love you" in the airport had been spontaneous – an act of desperation.

He was afraid he might lose her once she got away. Every night he feared she would break it off.

After all, what did he have to offer but himself? David had so much more to offer, and it was what her parents wanted.

Being so far from her made him doubt himself and how she felt about him.

Now he had to face 3 weeks in the wilderness with no mobile coverage… no way to keep in touch. He was terrified.

He could tell he had made her nervous, she was fidgeting with her hair, and looking down.

"I just need you to know…"

She closed her eyes. He was going to break it off.

"… I'll miss you terribly."

Her eyes flew open at his words.

"Oh, Sully…" Her whole body relaxed, and their eyes met through the screen.

"I just wish I could hold you in my arms right now." He continued… "I really long to kiss you."

She blushed and he smiled "You're so beautiful."

Somehow it all came flooding out, and tears were gathering in her eyes.

Her whole body and mind ached to be near him.

More loving words were exchanged between them, and it was late before Michaela finally went to bed.

"You look shattered this morning," David handed her a cup of black coffee and she gratefully accepted.

She had been awake tossing and turning in bed all night after she had finished talking to Sully.

"I'm fine." She drank the coffee, and went over their schedule. Quite a few patients were waiting already.

"Well, just don't fall asleep here. I need your help today…"

David hesitated. "Let me know if you need something to keep you awake, okay?" She nodded, and he caught her off guard.

"I don't want my pretty assistant not to be on her feet" he winked at her and playfully slapped her bottom as he passed by her.

"What do you think you are doing?" she snapped at him.

"Take it easy, Mike. You're here to learn not complain."

He winked at her again and disappeared into the examination room leaving her speechless.

All morning she was busy with patients, and she focused hard on each and one of them.

She did not want to have to call David for assistance, and luckily she did not have to.

She was proud she could manage on her own, especially since her father had taken the day off –or her mother had told him to.

She looked forward to telling him how well it had gone, and she hoped it would help her make him understand she was capable of making sound independent decisions.

"I don't see much of you" David stated over lunch in the Quinn kitchen.

He had somehow managed to invite himself in, and she had not been able to get rid of him.

Michaela was polite but also annoyed. She had looked forward to a quiet break, and she did not need him to babble all the way through her break.

"I'm fine…" she tried to cut him off.

"So what's going on with working in the practice?" he asked all of a sudden.

She wondered how much he knew about her quarrel with her parents, and decided to play it safe.

"What do you mean?"

"You know…." He chewed his sandwich eyeing her response "I've been looking forward to getting you back" she felt almost horrified at his words, and he continued

"I've always believed it is just a matter of time, and I'm sure when we work together it'll feel just like old times…"

He gave her a broad smile and reached for her hand across the kitchen table.

"Old times?" she queried and quickly grabbed her glass of water to keep him from touching her.

"You know… Mike."

She shook her head making a decision. "No I don't David. I don't know what you mean?"

David leaned back a little. He had stopped eating.

"Look I realize I was a little quick to… and made assumptions on your behalf in the past. But I also know you like to play hard to get."

"You think that's what I've been doing?" she narrowed her eyes a little while speaking, and he shrug his shoulders.

"I wouldn't be surprised. After all you have the reputation to be a spoiled daddy's girl, an ice queen, and I'd like to be the one who breaks the ice, if you know what I mean."

She nearly choked on her water, but kept her cool.

"Who says the ice isn't already broken?" she said blinking her eyes innocently at him.

"Is it?"

"I wouldn't tell you"

"But you don't care about men!" he blurted out, and she laughed softly.

"Maybe I never met the right man here. You know the one who truly speaks to me and sees me for who I am, and not some conquest."

David went silent for a while and when he finally spoke his voice was serious.

"You know I've waited for you, Michaela."

"I know…" she took a deep breath, because she liked David… or the David who had been her friend before all this started.

"I know, but I also told you how I feel a long time ago." She sighed seeing how his expression changed.

"Nothing has changed?" he asked.

She shook her head a little "no…"

"But your parents…"

She could not help interjecting him. "My parents still see me as a 15-year-old… I am sorry if they have led you to believe there was a chance,

because there is not."

He smiled a little wistfully. "Your mother said you'd be stubborn and selfish, but you'd come around in the end. You know my offer still stands."

"I know, but the answer is the same. I wish… I wish you'd move on, David."

Then she got up feeling a little claustrophobic all of a sudden.

"Please excuse me."

She literally ran out of the kitchen into the hall and out of the house.

She needed air.

She did not stop running until she had reached the river. Poor David…

She was furious with her mother for letting him on so long and for what she had said about her.

Quickly she pulled out her phone and cancelled her remaining appointments. David would have to deal with them.

She was not going back in the clinic.