Chapter 3

Colleen lay awake, unable to even think about sleeping. Andrew, was downstairs, unable to sleep for fear of not being awake if Michaela needed him. Colleen seemed to have shut down professionally, unable to do anything remotely medical. Andrew had tried to comfort her, but the fact that she'd frozen up when her mother had needed her, even after all of her medical training, well, that shook her up.

She closed her eyes, sighing and thinking about everything her mother had done over the years. She'd fought for what she believed in. She'd faced adversity, she'd practiced medicine in a time when it was unacceptable for women to be doctors. It was still frowned upon, but every day was a step in the right direction. She'd gotten married and had a baby, and she'd remained a doctor through and through. She'd dealt with the army, hid her husband for months and pretended he was dead all to keep her family together. And she'd remained a doctor.

Colleen's eyes filled with tears. What kind of a doctor couldn't help their own mother in an emergency? The idea of being a mother scared her as well. What if she couldn't balance it like Michaela had? Sure, she'd had it rough for the first couple of months, but everything worked out, and she had been planning to continue the practice even after the birth of the twins. She was a woman to be admired, and that made Colleen wonder just what she was herself.

With a sigh, she rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, knowing she'd be unable to sleep, but hoping she'd be rested enough by morning to function somewhat as a physician.

Sully woke with a start the next morning. As soon as his body was awake enough to realize he'd actually fallen asleep, he jolted himself out of it and sat up to look over at Michaela's bed. What he saw surprised him. She was awake!

"Michaela," he breathed, getting up and moving the chair closer to the bed. "You're awake…"

"Sully," she whispered. He gently put his hand to her forehead. He didn't know a lot about medicine, but he knew some things thanks to watching her over the years.

"Your fever's broken."

"Fever?"

"Yeah. Ya got a fever after the babies were born. But I think it's down now. I'll go get Andrew."

"No," she whispered. "Stay with me. I want it to be just us for a little while."

"It ain't never gonna be just us again," he said with a slight grin, trying to hide how terrified he'd been. He looked over to the bassinet.

"I want to see them." She was about to cry now, but they were happy tears. She was happy that she'd survived, happy to see Sully's face, and happy to know that her babies were alright. Sully nodded. He moved over to the bassinet and picked up their son. He carried him to the bed, and Michaela reached for him. She was sore, but she insisted on holding them.

"You're sure?"

"Let me see my baby, Sully." Sully gently placed the baby in his wife's arm. "This is our son." Michaela's eyes glittered with happiness, and Sully brought the girl baby over. "And our little girl."

"They're so beautiful, Sully. He looks so much like you."

"Really? I think he kinda looks like you."

"I distinctly remember having this conversation when Katie was born."

"Yeah, and she looks just like you now," Sully pointed out. "Only with my eyes." Michaela grinned. She winced in pain a little, but it was so worth it to hold her son in her arms. She had never thought she'd have another baby, let alone two!

"How are the children?" Matthew was far from a child, but he was still her child. She'd never think otherwise.

"They're doin' alright. They stayed here last night. We've all been worried sick." Michaela looked away.

"I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't apologize. We just want you to get better. That's all that matters." Michaela nodded slowly.

"I want to hold her."

"At the same time?"

"It's not impossible," she pointed out with a weak smile. "I just want them in my arms." Sully nodded and placed the little girl in her mother's free arm. Michaela lit up at holding both of her little ones. She was an outstanding doctor, wife, friend, and lover. But something about seeing her as a mother just warmed his heart like no other. She was radiant. Despite the past twenty-four hours, she looked like the happiest woman in the world. And he was pretty certain she was. He didn't want to ruin it for her by telling her how he'd had nightmares about losing her like he'd lost Abagail. He didn't want to tell her he had been so scared that it had almost been too much to take.

"Thank you for being here, Sully. I never thought this could be possible, but look at them. They're so wonderful."

"They are," he said softly, "'cause they're just like you." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I'll go get Andrew, ok?" She nodded, and he left the room, his knees shaky, his throat dry. All he could do was hope Andrew would have good news so that everyone could stop worry and start to celebrate the new additions to the family.

"As you know, with pregnancies in women of your age, there is always a higher risk of complications," Andrew started out, after he'd examined her, changed her bandages, and let Sully back in the room.

"Andrew, I'm very well aware of my age and how much of a miracle it was that I even became pregnant, let alone with twins. I know I'm not young. I know I wasn't young when I had Katie. Can we focus on the rest of it now?"

"It's good to see you haven't lost your fire," Andrew said with a smile, glancing at Sully for confirmation. He was half smiling, half looking worried out of his mind.

"Just tell me everything, Andrew." She squeezed Sully's hand, and he glanced at her, but her eyes were focused on the doctor.

"We were able to save the uterus, but I have to warn you that if you begin to hemorrhage heavily again in the next couple of days, we might have to act quickly." Michaela nodded in understanding. I need your consent to perform a hysterectomy if the situation should arise." Michaela glanced at Sully. He gave her short nod. Whatever it took to save her life.

"You have it."

"You're absolutely certain, Michaela?"

"Andrew, I think my childbearing years are pretty much over. Besides, even if they're not, Sully and I have six wonderful children. We might even be grandparents soon." She looked at him for any indication, but he just smiled and looked away. "What I'm saying, Andrew, is that…I've had my children. If that's what it takes…" Now there was a certain fear in her voice. She knew what came along with a hysterectomy. She knew very well what could happen, and the uneasiness began to settle in.

"Alright," he said quietly. "I'll make note of it in your chart. Is there anything I can get for you?"

"My children," Michaela replied. "I'd like to see them."

"They're all at Grace's. I'll tell them." Michaela nodded thankfully, and Andrew closed the door.

"I made the right decision, didn't I?" she finally asked Sully. Sully turned to her.

"What?"

"About the hysterectomy? You won't think less…"

"Michaela, hold on," he said firmly, "don't talk like that. Nothin' is gonna happen, and even if it does, the answer's no. I could never think less of you. You're an amazing, beautiful woman, and I'm lucky to have ya in my life." Tears filled Michaela's eyes at her husband's words. She took a deep breath and squeezed his hand tighter.

"I love you so much," she breathed, holding back the tears.

"I love you too."