Chapter 11

Whenever Michaela had to deal with an important problem, she gave it a lot of thought, looking at it from different angles. She considered both, the good effects and the bad ones a certain solution might bring and only after this process she decided about how to go on. This way, her decisions were always well considered, and she never called them into question afterwards, having learned that otherwise she would only go round in circles. Some people called it stubbornness, but Michaela preferred the term determination. Having her mind set on practicing at the frontier was the reason why she stayed in Colorado Springs, dismissing the fact that in the beginning, no one but Charlotte and later Sully acknowledged her being a doctor. Even the conditions she had to live under couldn't put her off. It wasn't only that she had to live in a small wooden house that was a shack in comparison to her brownstone-built home in Boston; she also had had no idea how to manage all the daily chores she didn't even know existed.

However, this time she had decided to shut her heart to Sully, to love at all. The hurt he had caused her was buried now but not forgotten, although she didn't think about it anymore. This chapter of her life was closed. At least she thought so.

To her surprise and relief, Sully didn't seem to mind that their relationship had changed. Patiently he had taken the initial awkwardness when he resumed coming to the homestead for supper. He was there for the family, as they needed his help to get over all the trouble Dorothy's son had caused. That was when Michaela recognized that he wasn't only the children's friend but still hers as well. As soon as she embraced this thought, she was able to relax around him again. His visits at the homestead grew longer; he didn't leave right after the meal as if he was just a guest. Brian was more than delighted, Colleen couldn't be more content, and Matthew was glad having his mentor near by more often than ever before.

As far as Sully was concerned, he judged the situation in his own way. He was convinced that things between him and Dr. Mike were almost back to normal, and if he hadn't had this bad feeling about Jedediah Bancroft and his so called 'social club', he would have considered taking a hunting trip and leaving town for a few days.

He was glad that he'd stayed although he was too late in town the morning after Robert E. had been beaten by the Klan members. This time, his friend had been attacked with the paint he had intended to use for coloring the door of his new house, and Sully feared that this was only be the beginning. After all, it had been Hank and Jake who had shown the whole town how they felt about Robert E. becoming their new neighbor.

Robert E. was still standing in front of his house, covered with the white substance and flatly refusing to accept any support. Thus Sully directed his attention to Michaela again. Fortunately the children hadn't witnessed the incident, but Dr. Mike was visibly upset. He wanted her to know that he was there for her as he stepped behind her, laying his hands on her shoulders protectively, soothingly. She didn't shy away from his touch, and Sully took this as another sign that she trusted him again. He would still be careful though so as to not startle her or make her feel pressured into doing something she wasn't ready for.

Yet he couldn't help himself, having her so close again made him momentarily forget not only what he'd just seen but his good intentions as well. Unnoticed by Michaela, Sully bent his head so that his nose almost touched her hair. He needed to breath in her scent and so he did it even though he could only take a whiff, being aware that they stood in the middle of the main street.

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As Sully had predicted, things became not only worse for Robert E. and Grace but also dangerous for Dr. Mike and the children. Of course Michaela stood openly to her convictions, which resulted in the Ku Klux Klan coming out to the homestead the next night since the family accommodated the blacksmith and his wife in their barn. The disguised men weren't there so as to give them hollow threats. Who knows what they would have done with their torches if their leader hadn't hurt himself on the burning cross…

The next morning Michaela, with Sully right on her heels, stormed into the saloon as soon as she had located Jedediah Bancroft. She needed to confront him, knowing that this might be the only way to prevent him and his men from coming to her home again. Yet talking to him proved to be useless, and Michaela had already turned in order to leave this place when the words he called after her made her turn back.

In disbelief, she stared at the man, "Are you threatening my children?"

"I'm just saying that some folks don't take kindly to the sympathizers," Bancroft spat at her, nothing but disgust for her on his face.

Stunned, Michaela was still searching for a sharp retort as Sully passed her from behind, closing the distance between him and the Klan man with a few steps. His voice was dangerously low as he spoke directly in the man's face. "You lay a hand on them," he paused a beat, his eyes ablaze with rage as he gripped Bancroft's jaw making him look at him, "and I'll kill you."

No one in the room dared come to Jedediah Bancroft's help. The townies knew Sully well enough as to be able to tell that he was deadly serious, and for the others the mountain man looked dangerous enough for them to stay silent.

As Michaela and Sully entered the clinic again, both their emotions were still in uproar. Sully's, because all these so called respectable men hadn't moved one finger so as to put a stranger, who threatened their doctor and her children, in place, and Michaela's because she had seldom met such openly displayed hatred. Although she was glad that Sully had stood up for her, she was still somewhat unsettled, "I'd never thought I'd hear you say that to anyone."

"No one's ever threatened the children before," he replied matter-of-factly, leaning against the examination table.

Michaela stopped before the backdoor, turning to him. Feeling responsible for all that had happened to her family lately, she wanted Sully to know what she had concluded on their way across the street. "I realized something just now," she revealed pointing at her chest, "It's not Robert E. who's putting them in danger. It's me."

Holding her gaze, Sully tried to reassure her that she hadn't done anything wrong, "You're just standin' up for what's right. Just like you always do."

To be honest, he had almost forgotten that this was one of her qualities he adored, having not seen her in action for quite a while now. Of course he was, as always, more than willing to support her.

Yet hearing his praise, Michaela felt even worse. "The truth is, I was relieved when he left," she admitted, meaning Robert E.'s deciding to go back to town. "I'm afraid… for all of us."

Sully knew that making this confession wasn't easy for her. Straightening from his position on the table, he shifted so he stood right across from her. "I care about Robert E. just as much as you do," he conceded, laying his hands on her shoulders so he could peer into her eyes. How he had missed her looking at him without any reservation like she did now. "But he wants to stand up for himself," he went on, adding, "There is only so much you can do for somebody."

Momentarily puzzled, Michaela looked away from the intensity of his gaze. She had had the same thought and hearing Sully speaking it out loud made her feel understood and she was thankful for that. But still… "That's not what you used to say," she reminded him, locking eyes with him again. She needed to see that he hadn't said it only to make her feel better.

Of course Sully knew that she was right with her remark. But something had changed for him. When they had started courting he had told her that he wouldn't be able to live with it if anything happened to her or the children. Well, this was even more true now than in those days, and so he took the opportunity to make her see how much he cared. "Back then I only had myself to worry about," he explained, his gaze tender.

"There was a time all I had was myself, too," Michaela nodded and a small knowing smile lit up her face, "but now… there are the children…"

Sully wanted to hold on time for a minute, reveling in their closeness yet behind Michaela he noticed an audience.

The Cooper kids had appeared on the threshold, overhearing the last lines of the adults' conversation. Asked for their opinion, it turned out that they all agreed in continuing helping Robert E. and so they at last left the clinic together.

The following night became even worse for the blacksmith. Yet with Michaela talking some sense into the men of town and Sully using his tomahawk to cut the rope the Ku Klux Klan members wanted to use to hang Robert E., the nightmare was finally over.

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Ordinary life took over again after Bancroft and his men vanished as if they'd never been to town. Sully still waited for a couple of days to make sure everything was back to normal before he left too, wanting to check on his traps.

Once out in the woods he savored the solitude, allowing himself to lose track of time with only Wolf as his companion. He hadn't been aware of how much he had missed this until now that he had it back. It felt good to just sit and wait to see if the fish would take his bait, having nothing to worry about but if the weather would hold. And even if it didn't, he could make himself a lean-to anytime.

Yet sitting on the bank of the creek he remembered the conversation he once had with Michaela about worms, and cutting branches for his makeshift sleeping place he recollected the night when he had done the same to protect Dr. Mike from the rain…

In the end he didn't mind that he was done with looking after his traps, joining the family again. The only excitement he'd missed in town was the arrival of the new schoolteacher. However, resting within himself after feeling oneness with Mother Earth once again, Sully considered this as not such a big deal yet since Dr. Mike did, he was interested in hearing this news as well.

As it turned out, Miss Chambers, who had been recommended by the reverend, educated her pupils by beating them every time when she thought it was necessary. Of course Sully didn't approve but since he never participated in the discussions of the town meetings, he stayed silent this time as well. Yet he encouraged the reverend to take sides because people listened to him. Of course it went without saying that he was there for Dr. Mike and the children, especially after Brian was hurt. He even attended the service at church with them, wearing a suit because he knew Michaela liked that, so as to listen to the reverend's advising his parish to treat all children well.

Anyway, there was no use in denying one fact: as much as he tried, Sully couldn't see the spark in Dr. Mike's eyes he yearned for. The one light that told him she was in love with him as much he was in love with her. They were back to talking with each other as they used to and he could tell that she appreciated his being around. But her beautiful eyes didn't shine when she looked at him.

He wouldn't give up, but for now he decided to give her more room and take care of himself again. He missed spending time with his Cheyenne family…