Chapter 98

May 6, 1871 – Colorado Springs

Uncertain of what to do next, Hank touched Michaela's forehead. She didn't feel very hot, but he wasn't exactly a doctor. God, where the hell was that high-falutin doctor from Denver when he was needed?

Her color was awful. It was the color of death. He'd seen it before, and he couldn't deny that this was serious. Despite the way the doctor acted as tough as nails, she was lying here, weak and drained, and it was because he had had to prove that he was right and she was wrong. What had he done?

"Doc…you gonna wake up?" he asked. "C'mon…ya gotta wake up." But she didn't move. She was deathly still, but she was breathing. As panic began to set in, Hank rushed to the door, deciding to set out in search of Sully, but as soon as he opened the door, he came face to face with Dr. Bernard. A wave of relief rushed over him.

"You're the doc, right?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm Dr. Bernard. Is Dr. Quinn available?"

"She needs ya. Right now," Hank said abruptly, moving out of the way to let the doctor through. It was when he turned back to look at Michaela's still body that he saw the blood and quickly turned away. Dr. Bernard rushed in, murmuring "dear God" and closed the door, leaving Hank in shock at what he'd just seen. Had he caused that? God, had he just caused the death of an innocent child and perhaps even the mother too? The sight of the blood on her skirt and the white of her cheeks was forever emblazoned on his mind, and as he slowly moved to the bench to sit down, he felt his head beginning to swim with doubt and guilt.

Then he realized that Sully had to know. He had to tell Sully that he'd been arguing with the doctor when she'd started cramping. Slowly, he stood and made his way off of the porch, his stomach twisting into knots for the first time in what seemed like forever. How was he supposed to tell another man that he may have cost an unborn child its life? How was he supposed to… No. He couldn't tell him they'd been arguing. Sully would kill him. Maybe Michaela would break it to him…if she had the chance. Maybe by then…everything would be alright.

"Hank, ya got a package at the depot to pick up." Hank turned toward the sound of Horace's voice, and for once, he didn't deliver a witty remark or a sarcastic response. "What's the matter, Hank?"

"Where's Sully?" was all Hank could muster up. Horace eyed him.

"What're ya lookin' for him for? You ain't tryin' to start trouble again, are ya?" Swallowing back a vile-tasting venom that bubbled within him, Hank pursed his lips impatiently.

"Just tell me where he is, Horace," Hank warned, his voice brimming with anger. Horace thought for a moment and finally decided to avoid a confrontation and tell him.

"He's over at the livery helpin' Robert E. You go over there and start somethin', and you'll have Kid Cole on your tail." Unmoved by Horace's declaration, Hank turned toward the livery in search of Sully. Each footstep felt as heavy as lead. Each glance in his direction was accusatory. Each moment that ticked by was one moment less that Sully got to spend with the mother of his child. He'd seen a woman die in childbirth—one of his girls—and he'd seen one die due to lack of proper medical care during a miscarriage. She'd been just as pale as Michaela. The blood had been there. God, he'd never expected he could push so hard and break her. He'd thought she was stronger than that, but perhaps…perhaps he'd gone too far for once.

As soon as the livery came into sight, Hank swallowed the lump in his throat. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't even sure if anything would need to be said. But as he approached, he heard Robert E. speak to Sully.

"Hand me the hammer, would ya?" Robert E. asked, as Sully finished shoeing a horse, something Robert E. had taught him months ago. He enjoyed being able to help his friend out when he was needed.

"Here ya go, Robert E." He handed the hammer over to the blacksmith and gave the horse a pat on the side. Turning to look over his shoulder, he spotted Hank walking slowly toward the livery, his eyes filled with confusion and worry. Immediately, he knew something was wrong, and he stepped away from the horse, moving out into the street. "Hank." Hank stopped, and he immediately thought about what he could possibly say, but then he realized he needed to tell him quickly so he could get to her.

"It's the doc," he said quietly. "We were standin' right there…and I…and she…" Panic immediately caused Sully's stomach to flip flop, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

"Hank! What happened? Where…"

"She's…she's losin' the baby." In an instant, Sully felt the world drop out from beneath his feet, and he felt as if he was falling, crashing against the jagged rocks on the shoreline back in San Francisco where he'd met her. He couldn't think or speak. He stared at Hank as if he'd grown a second head. Everything was spinning. "Sully…didn't ya hear me? She needs ya." His first instinct was to drop everything and run to her, but he felt as if his feet had been cemented in place. It was like a bad nightmare, and he couldn't run from his fears.

"She…I…what happened…"

"We were just talkin'. I…I think I… She's…" But Sully heard none of it. All he could think about was feeling that child kick inside of her just an hour before. All he could feel were the jabs that protruded from Michaela's swollen belly, and he could still see the smile on her face, as they felt it together for the first time.

"Michaela…" She needed him, and he could feel that, and without further hesitation, he turned on his heels and rushed out of the livery without a word. He couldn't get there fast enough, and it was only when he rounded the corner that he saw a crowd forming on the porch of the clinic. No! God, no! This wasn't happening. He couldn't lose her. He couldn't lose either of them.

Making his way through the crowd, he put his hand on the doorknob and turned it quickly, but it stuck where it was. It wouldn't budge, so he pounded on the door.

"Michaela!" When the door opened, a frantic Sully tried to push himself in, but Dr. Bernard stood firmly in the way, blood tinting his fingers, as he wiped them briskly on a towel.

"You need to wait out here, Mr. Sully. I'm doing everything I can to…" The blood was all Sully could focus on.

"I need to see her! I need to help her…"

"You can help by waiting out here. I'm doing everything I can to control the bleeding." His heart sank. Bleeding. Blood. As Dr. Bernard moved to close the door, Sully caught the frightful glimpse of Michaela lying on the table, blood staining her skirt. His heart stopped for a moment, and his knees grew weak. He began to fall, but someone caught him and led him to a bench.

"Sully…it's alright. Dr. Mike's in real good hands." He wasn't even sure who had said it. He wasn't sure of anything going on around him except for what was behind that door. He closed his eyes, burying his face in his hands. All he could do was pray.

ooooooooooooooo

The sun moved routinely across the sky, soon bathing in shadow those who were standing vigil, waiting for news on their doctor and her unborn child. Rebecca now sat next to Sully, her hand comfortingly soothing his back every few minutes. His head was in his hands, and the tears had yet to fall. He had to stay strong for her, but he didn't know how much more waiting he could take. Every sound seemed to grate on his nerves, and he figured it was only moments before the anxiety got to him.

Hearing shuffling in the silence, Sully looked up to see Hank slowly approaching the group. Without thinking, something inside of him snapped, and she got up, startling everyone, and he rushed toward the bartender, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him up against the side of the clinic.

"What'd you do to her!" he demanded, his eyes gleaming in anger and hurt.

"Hey," Hank started, but Sully's hands tightened.

"She was fine when I left her! What'd you do? What the hell did you do?" Hank had never seen Sully so angry, and he didn't know how to explain himself without Sully ripping his heart out.

"I was apologizin'," he strained to explain. "She slumped over in pain, and…and that's when she passed out. I swear I didn't touch her, Sully. Ya know I wouldn't do that to no woman."

"Wouldn't put nothin' past you, Hank," Sully hissed. "You done nothin' but harass her since ya found out—"

"Sully!" Timothy exclaimed, stepping in. "C'mon, Sully. This won't help Michaela right now." Sully looked into Hank's eyes, and he heard the Reverend's words, but he couldn't get past the anger he felt at everyone who had cast the cloak of shame on them, when everyone had their own sinful secrets. Everyone brought shame upon themselves, so his anger at Hank for being a hypocrite himself wasn't willing to let go.

"C'mon, Sully," Daniel offered, putting his hand on his friend's back. "Let's go take a walk…get some coffee…somethin'…"

"No. I ain't leavin' her. I won't." He roughly let go of Hank. Instead of saying anything, Hank turned and retreated to the comfort of his saloon. Sully turned back to face the clinic, and he saw Daniel, Kid Cole, Timothy, Horace, Carrie, Ruth, Rebecca, and a few other citizens standing there, staring at him with concern and sympathy in their eyes.

Returning to the bench he'd been perched upon moments ago, Sully sat down and tried hard to stay strong for her. He didn't know what was going on behind that door, but each thought or possibility that crossed his mind seemed to be worse and worse. He couldn't begin to think positively, because after everything that had gone wrong, some light had been shed as hope on their future, and now it was being crushed. It was unfair. It was cruel. It was exactly what Sully had feared would happen. She could be dying along with this child, and if that happened, his nightmares would come true. It hurt to breathe. It was nearly impossible now.

ooooooooooooooo

"Sully," Michaela murmured, as she began to come to. She found the task of opening her eyes very daunting. She wasn't certain what she would see or discover once she opened them. She was afraid to move or touch her stomach in a comforting way. What if there was nothing or nobody inside to comfort? What if…what if her fears had come true?

"Dr. Quinn?" She heard the gravely voice of the aging Dr. Bernard, and it reminded her so much of her father's. She still feared opening her eyes, however, because despite the comforting sound of his voice, she knew the possibilities of what could have happened, and she wasn't ready to hear that she'd failed. She hadn't been able to keep her child safe; alive.

"Sully," she breathed, clutching the material in her hands. It was a blanket from one of her recovery beds. She closed her eyes. God, it had happened, hadn't it? It was over now. Their baby was gone.

Tears began to well up in her eyes, and when she finally dared to open them, they poured out, flooding down her face.

"Dr. Quinn, it's good of you to join me again. I was worried for a moment." She stared up into his kind eyes, and she saw a slightly relieved smile inching up in the corners of his mouth. One didn't act like that when they were supposed to tell you the bad news that your child had died. But she couldn't be certain what to think or believe right now.

"My baby," she whispered. Her eyes searched his for any sign, and when he looked away, she felt her heart break. "No. Please…please tell me my baby's alright."

"Dr. Quinn," he said simply, "I need you to remain calm."

"No," she breathed, tears welling in her eyes again. "My baby's dead, isn't it?" The doctor watched as his patient began to panic. But he placed a hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing it.

"Please, you must remain calm. Your babies are depending on you to stay calm and relaxed." Michaela closed her eyes, feeling a sob of relief drawing up from her very depths. She was still pregnant. Her baby was still inside of her. And then it hit her. She opened her eyes, looking up to see him putting the earpieces of his stethoscope into his ears and placing the end on her belly.

"What…what did you just say?" Dr. Bernard was silent for a moment, placing the stethoscope on various sections of her abdomen. Michaela's head was swimming. No. He hadn't said what she thought he'd said. She was imagining it. She was in shock.

"Dr. Quinn, I'm afraid I had good news and bad news," Dr. Bernard continued, placing his stethoscope on to end of the bed. Michaela closed her eyes, and she braced herself.

"What's the bad news?" she asked, her heart preparing to break once again, though she really wasn't certain she could handle it. After everything she'd gone through, she wasn't sure she could take one more trial or tribulation, though she was certainly going to try to deal with whatever was thrown her way.

"You experienced excessive blood loss, but not enough to require a transfusion. With plenty of rest and nutrition, you should be feeling better in a few days to a week. However, the pain was probably brought on my stress, and the bleeding was caused by a condition called placenta previa." Michaela's heart stopped for a moment. Her mind searched the volumes of medical knowledge she had stored in her memory, and she knew exactly what she was dealing with.

"That's…that's bad," she breathed.

"Not entirely, Dr. Quinn," he continued. "After I controlled the bleeding, I did a full examination, and there is only a marginal amount of placenta covering the cervix. Since it's still quite early in your pregnancy, it's good we caught this when we did."

"This means…"

"You and I both know that this could clear up on its own, and even if it doesn't, the little amount that's obstructing the birth canal shouldn't interfere with a normal delivery." Michaela nodded. "But because there are two babies, I want to keep a closer eye on you. I believe I'll come in for regular appointments every two-weeks instead of once a month." Michaela's mind was reeling, and her heart began to pound in her chest.

"Twins," she whispered. "Are they alright?" Dr. Bernard smiled a little.

"That's the good news, Dr. Quinn. Both babies seem to be strong and active." His voice wavered. "But I'm concerned about one of the babies' heart rates. It seemed a little sporadic…probably due to the shock." Michaela was trying to soak it all in…the good news and the bad. It was all overwhelming, and she was terrified of what all of it could mean. She knew the risks of her condition, especially with twins, and having that knowledge made it even more terrifying. "Now, I must insist that you stay in bed. Anything could trigger more bleeding or early labor. If you were to deliver these babies now, they would be too premature to live."

"My patients…"

"Your patients will understand, Dr. Quinn. Your health is vital to your children's health. I'll send one of my colleagues to see to your patients." Michaela closed her eyes.

"Anyone but Dr. Cassidy." Dr. Bernard chuckled a little.

"No, I won't be sending him, I assure you. But you must rest until further notice. If all is well after our appointment in two weeks, you can resume your normal activities. If not, you'll remain in bed. You may get out of bed for an hour each day, but I do not want you working." Michaela held back the tears and nodded her head. She would do whatever it took to insure her babies' survival, even if that meant, in the end, that she might lose her own life.

ooooooooooooooo

"Where is everybody?" Brian asked, as the tired fishing group exited the woods next to the church. The meadow was empty, and the occasional rider rode by, disappearing off of the main roads.

"Maybe they're all at the church," Johnny suggested. But when they saw no buggies or carriages, Johnny frowned and glanced at Mary. He suddenly felt an overwhelming worry.

"What's wrong?" she asked, moving toward him.

"I think we ought to stop by the clinic."

"You feeling sick?" Gabby questioned.

"No. I just got a bad feelin'." Gabby frowned and looked toward the church.

"I need to go check in with Father," she said quietly, the word catching in her throat for a moment. She cleared her through. "I'll catch up to you back in town." Brian glanced at Gabby, and he smiled a little.

"I'll come with ya. I don't got nowhere to be, and Matthew and Ingrid don't expect me home for a while." Gabby brightened at the idea, and she glanced at Johnny and Mary, sensing that she'd better keep her distance for a few minutes. They'd hardly spoken a word to one another all day.

"Alright. We'll see you back in town," Gabby said with a wave, as she and Brian started up toward the church steps, not knowing they wouldn't find the good Reverend there after all.

Mary and Johnny began the journey into town, and Mary's demeanor changed for the first time that day. She swallowed hard and glanced at Johnny.

"What's the matter?" she asked again, wondering if maybe…just maybe he would open up to her.

"I don't know," he said quietly, as he quickened the pace. "Pa asked me to stay with Ma today, but she told me to go ahead and go fishin'. Maybe I shoulda stayed…"

"But Aunt Michaela told you to go…"

"But if somethin'…"

"What?" He shook his head.

"Nothin'. Nevermind." As they drew nearer to the clinic, they noticed the crowd, and that was when Johnny knew something bad had happened. His stomach tightened up, and his eyes began to survey the scene. When he spotted his father on the porch, he instinctively grabbed Mary's hand, and she looked at him in surprise.

"What?" she whispered.

"It's my fault," he whispered, looking directly at his father.

"What's your fault?" But Johnny's gaze never faltered from his father's sad form. He wasn't the strong, certain man he usually was. He was worried and nervous. He was upset. He was shaking. Somehow, Johnny knew something had happened to his ma. And as quickly as his hand had found Mary's, it disconnected from hers, and he rushed to the porch, afraid of what the answer to his question would be.

"Pa…" Sully looked up at his son's voice, and the first emotion that came from his mouth was anger.

"Where've you been? I asked ya to keep an eye on her!" Sully barked, immediately feeling guilty at his unintentional accusatory finger.

"I…Pa, I didn't mean…" His words caught in his throat, and tears began to bubble up in his eyes. He swallowed hard, looking at his father guiltily.

"Johnny, I'm sorry…I shouldn't have…I…it wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have put that responsibility on ya."

"She told me I could go fishin', Pa. She said she'd be ok…" Johnny felt a tear trickle down his cheek, and Mary felt sad for him. She stepped up beside him and took his hand again. "What happened, Pa?"

"I…we don't know yet," he said quietly. "Dr. Bernard hasn't come back yet." He glanced up at his son, knowing that they were both hurting. "I didn't mean to snap at ya, Johnny. I'm sorry…"

"It's ok, Pa," he said quietly, his voice low and quivering. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I wish I knew, son," he replied quietly. "Why don't ya take Mary, and…"

"No…I want to stay. I have to wait 'til Aunt Michaela wakes up," Mary insisted.

"Sweetheart, maybe it would be best if—" Rebecca started, but Mary shook her head adamantly.

"I'm staying with Johnny," she said matter-of-factly. Within a few moments, Gabby and Brian came walking up. Gabby located her father in the crowd and moved over toward him, whispering something in his ear. He leaned toward her, whispering something back, and then Mary saw her gaze shift to Johnny, before it fell to the wooden floorboards.

The minutes ticked by in silence, and after what seemed like forever, the doorknob squeaked and turned, and Sully looked up, anxiously awaiting the doctor's news. When Dr. Bernard appeared, Sully immediately tried to read his features, but he couldn't.

"Dr. Quinn is going to be alright," he said immediately, his voice filling the group's hearts with hope again. Several sighs of relief sounded, but Sully couldn't be too certain.

"She's…she's alright?" he asked, making sure his ears hadn't failed him.

"She's resting now, yes. If you'll come inside, I'll explain her condition in detail," he replied, clearing his throat and moving out of the way so Sully could get through. Sully stood, and Johnny started to follow him.

"Ya better stay here, Johnny. I'll send for ya when I know your ma's up for visitors, alright?" Johnny nodded sadly, and he stayed with the rest of the group, feeling lonely and helpless. He wished he could help his mother. He wished he hadn't gone on that stupid fishing trip. They hadn't caught anything anyway.

The group continued to sit and stand in silence, hoping for the best but fearing the worst.

ooooooooooooooo

"Where is she? I wanna see her," Sully immediately spoke as the door shut behind him and the doctor.

"Mr. Sully, there are a few things you need to know before I let you up to see her." Sully gritted his teeth, not wanting to wait. Just a few minutes ago, it had felt as if he was losing precious moments with her. Now he was supposed to be patient?

"Whatever ya got to tell me…can it wait? I gotta see…"

"I'm afraid it can't wait, Mr. Sully," Dr. Bernard said sternly. "First of all, I want you to be aware that I've put Dr. Quinn on strict bed rest to help prolong the pregnancy, but unfortunately, there are no guarantees as to whether or not she will give birth at full-term. She has a condition called placenta previa. Fortunately, it's a very minor case, but it could still be life-threatening. She needs to remain in bed, and she needs to be rested. I do not want her taking any risks, and that includes going up and down the stairs to cook dinner. Of course, working is out of the question, so a replacement doctor will be sent to cover for her while she's resting." Sully tried to process everything the doctor was throwing at him, and he swallowed hard.

"The…the condition…what's it mean?"

"Basically, Mr. Sully," the older man began, "there's a very small portion of the placenta that is covering the cervix. Now, if it were a more severe case, giving birth naturally would be out of the question, but since it's a very small portion, and it's early on in the pregnancy, this could correct itself. It doesn't always happen, however. Also adding to the situation, Mr. Sully…" Sully prepared himself for the worst.

"Just tell me…"

"Well, I'm certain you'll feel the same way as Dr. Quinn did about this. The good news is...there are two babies. Twins." Sully felt his heart stop beating for a few moments. Twins! The next few sentences that came out of Dr. Bernard were completely unheard by Sully. A concoction of elation and fear was twisting and turning like a snake inside of him, and he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Can I see her?" he asked, his hands fidgeting nervously.

"She's resting now, but she's asking for you." Sully nodded, and he turned toward the stairs, feeling as if he couldn't move. But when he took that first step, he kept going, and soon, he was taking the steps two at a time to get to her quicker.

ooooooooooooooo

Saturday May 20th 1871 – Colorado Springs

She paced along the back corridor of the clinic, as her Maid of Honor rushed along behind her, trying to keep the train to her dress picked up so it wouldn't attract dust.

"What if he's changed his mind? What if he doesn't want to marry me anymore?" Rebecca rolled her eyes and suppressed a giggle but knew better than to let her nervous sister see.

"He hasn't. Of course he wants to marry you!" Rebecca put her hands on her sister's shoulders for a moment, and Michaela stopped, letting Rebecca finish pinning a loose flower into her hair.

"You don't know that! Perhaps…" Michaela took a few deep breaths, as Rebecca interrupted.

"Yes I do. Please, calm down. You're only getting yourself worked up over nothing."

"Nothing? It isn't over nothing. Perhaps it's all too much." Michaela's hand moved to her stomach, and she felt a tear slip down her cheek.

"Too much? If it were too much, he would have left months ago. He isn't that kind of man, and you know that perfectly well. You know he loves you. He loves you more than anything!" Rebecca touched her chin and turned it up so she could look into Michaela's eyes.

"Yes…but…"

"There are no 'buts.' He loves you. Trust in that. When you walk down that aisle today, he's going to be there, smiling only at you." Michaela felt her heart skip a beat, and she looked down at the ring on her finger, shining at her like their star did from up above.

"If he's standing there."

"There, there, dear. Don't worry about a thing. You rest, and I'll see if I can find that groom-to-be." Michaela watched Rebecca leave the clinic, and she picked up her skirt and headed back into one of the recovery rooms. She took a few deep breaths and looked at herself in the mirror. What was wrong with her? Of course Sully would be there. He loved her more than anything. Perhaps it was her own insecurities about being a married woman that had her on edge. She knew what it was like to be with him, so that wasn't stopping her. Perhaps it was the idea that after all of this planning and dreaming of the future, they were about to be man and wife. It had all happened so fast, and she suddenly felt dizzy.

Suddenly, a knock came to the door, and Michaela gasped.

"Rebecca?"

"Michaela? It's me," came that familiar voice that made her heart beat faster each time she heard it.

"Sully?"

"You ok? Rebecca said ya got worried, and…" Michaela moved toward the door, pressing her hand against it, knowing she couldn't see him until she was walking down the aisle. "She said ya thought maybe I changed my mind. Ya know I'd never do that."

"I know, Sully. I'm sorry. I guess I just…I got worried."

"Ya ain't havin' second thoughts, are ya?"

"Of course not," she whispered, longing to reach out and touch him. "I suppose after everything that's happened…I'm just wondering if it's too good to be true." On the other side of the door, Sully grinned and shook his head.

"Just you wait, Michaela. In a few minutes, we'll be sayin' our vows, and we'll have the rest of our lives together as husband and wife." Michaela smiled at those words, and tears glistened in her eyes at his reassurance.

"I can hardly wait," she smiled. "I love you."

"I love you."

ooooooooooooooo

She opened her eyes, realizing it had been a dream. She'd been so afraid of losing him, but he'd been there…like he was always there. But they weren't going to have that magical wedding day. At least not on May 20th. Maybe not at all. The thought of that caused the worry and the anxiety to escalate, but she took a few deep, calming breaths, knowing that she had to be calm for the sake of the babies.

Hearing shuffling in the hall, she braced herself for Sully's arrival. She wasn't certain of what Dr. Bernard had told him or how he would handle the idea of twins or the fact that their lives were in danger. Placing her hand on her belly, she felt the lives within her moving, and knowing that the tiny hearts that were beating so quickly could so easily stop without a moment's notice made tears well up in her eyes again. She needed him, but she didn't know how to put on a brave face for him.

But, as soon as Sully reached the closed door, he braced himself before turning the knob and entering, seeing her lying on the bed, more color in her face than he had expected. He saw a smile turn up on her mouth, but he couldn't ignore the fright in her eyes.

"Sully," she whispered, her voice quivering.

"I'm right here," he promised her. Moving toward her bed, he took a seat and brought her hand into his. "You feelin' alright?"

"I'm not certain how I feel about anything at the moment," she replied, closing her eyes to fight off the tears. "He told you everything?"

"Yeah…about the babies…about everything."

"Twins, Sully," she said quietly. "I want to be happy. I want to…I just…I know the risks. I know how easily I could lose these babies…how easily I could…" But when she saw the worry in his eyes, creasing his brow, she couldn't say the words. She couldn't tell him she could just as easily die. She wasn't prepared for it, and she knew he certainly wasn't. She didn't want to scare him, but she knew it was a very real possibility. She hated herself the moment she thought that perhaps this was punishment. Perhaps this was what God thought she deserved.

"You can do anything, Michaela. I know it. I believe in ya." He gently stroked her cheek with the pads of his fingers. "'Sides, you're in good hands."

"The wedding…"

"Don't you worry about that. I still intend on makin' you my wife on the 20th of May. You'll be the most beautiful bride anybody's ever seen." He leaned forward and kissed her lips gently. "And when you're all healed…someday…someday we'll take a trip to San Francisco and lay on the beach…watch the stars." His words were a comfort despite the underlying fear and need to make plans that might give her the strength to survive, and she squeezed his hand. "We'll take the kids. Me, you, Johnny, and our babies. They'd like San Francisco, I think."

"Yes they would," she whispered, smiling in remembrance of the wonderful time she and Sully had had on their beach. The thought of lying there with her husband and her children, feeling the tide tickling their toes as it rolled in, and watching the stars twinkle brightly caused her to relax, and she soon fell asleep under the touch of his hand to her cheek. Her dreams were pleasant, but Sully's eyes were clouded with different emotion. Slowly, he got up and moved to the balcony, staring out across the street at the saloon, where Hank stood behind the double swinging doors, staring over at the clinic, a trail of smoke escaping his lips from time to time.

Glancing back at Michaela, Sully realized how easily he could have lost her today, and he wasn't going to go through that again. He was going to fight for her. He would be strong for her, but he knew that without him, she would still have enough strength to get herself through this. He wanted to be there for her and for their children. They were in this together, and when the entire world had turned against them, they'd been there for one another. But he hadn't been there when she'd needed him today. He hadn't been there to tell her to relax or to sit down. He hadn't been there to calm her. Maybe…maybe if he'd been there, she'd have been alright. But on the other hand, it was a blessing in a way, because now they knew the dangers, and they could face them head on. Then again, maybe knowing the dangers was worse than not knowing.

He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a breath, feeling the tension releasing from his body for a moment. He wished he could do something. He wished he could ease her worries, but as long as she was resting, she and the babies were healthy. But her condition was serious. He knew it by the look in her eyes and the tone in the doctor's voice. He could lose her. It was a very real possibility, but it was one that he refused to let come to fruition.

ooooooooooooooo

Author's Note: Sorry for any mistakes in the chapter. I've got time to finish the chapter, but editing is becoming more and more difficult due to lack of time. Anyway, I wanted to get this chapter out for you all, so please let me know what you think! Thanks! Ash