Ok, so I was at work, my mind wandering, wondering what I could possibly do with the pictures for the challenge on the DQMW Forum this month when the scene from the episode Last Dance where Sully "kidnaps" Michaela flashed through my mind…well it went from there. This takes place during season three and I suppose is not exactly cannon, but it can work. :D This is my first attempt at writing for one of the challenges. So I guess we'll see how it goes…

~*~

A Reason

It had been a long week. Loren had fallen off a ladder, requiring Michaela to sit up with him nearly the whole night to make sure he did not have a concussion, there were a couple cases of tonsillitis at the reservation, and it seemed that the men in the saloon were unable to go a day without one of them coming in with some type of injury. Then to top it all off Brian had gotten the stomach flu two days ago and she had to stay home with him. Jake had taken care of what he could in town and Colleen spent an hour after school each day at the clinic. Thankfully there were not too many cases the last few days. Brian's fever had finally broken at around 3:00 that morning, but he was still shaky and Michaela was keeping a close eye on him. Matthew had been busy at several ranches, which he had been hired out to, and with his cattle so some of the chores had slipped and they were working to catch up. To the doctor it seemed that little was going right at the moment.

It was an hour or so from sunset when there was the sound of hoof beats coming toward the homestead.

Michaela looked up from where she was chopping wood, wiping her arm across her forehead. Her eyebrows shot up as Sully pulled his horse to a stop in front of her.

He was looking very handsome in his good suit astride his horse.

She took a deep breath, attempting to get her reaction to him under control before saying, "You look quite handsome. What's the occasion?"

"It's a surprise." He reached down a hand to her. "C'mon."

She sighed, placing her hands on her hips looking up at him. "Sully, I'm really not dressed," she swept her arm down over her work dress, "and I don't really have the time right now." She gestured around her. "We have a lot to catch up on."

Sully glanced at Colleen and Matthew on the porch, sharing a grin with them, unseen by the doctor. Michaela turned around to get back to her work – Sully leaned down and grabbed her, pulling her up on the horse in front of him. She cried out in protest, and the kids were laughing and shouting reassurances that they would take care of everything as the couple road off.

~*~

Sully finally stopped in the middle of the woods, not far from his lean-to, and lowered his beloved carefully to the ground. Michaela spun around ready to start into Sully when she saw something. A table and two chairs were set up under the canopy of trees candles waiting to be lit and two covered plates. Her mouth had fallen open, her hand lightly covering it.

"Like it?" his voice rumbled next to her ear; she turned to look at him.

She managed to close her mouth finally. "What's the occasion?"

He shrugged. "Do people need a reason?" he echoed her words from when she and the children gave him the velocipede.

She rolled her eyes, but allowed him to guide her over to the table, pull out her chair and then push it back in once she was seated; he sat down next to her, lifting the covers from both of their meals.

Michaela leaned over the bowl of stew and took a deep breath. "Mmm…" She lifted her spoon and took a taste, closing her eyes and smiling.

Sully grinned. "I'll take it that ya like it?"

She opened her eyes smiling at him. "Yes. What is it?"

He looked a little chagrin. "Actually, I'm not sure. It's a French name; one of Grace's Creole dishes and she'd been lookin' for a reason to make it and decided that this was a good chance."

Michaela laughed before leaning over and kissing him briefly. "I'll have to say thank you tomorrow." She turned back to her meal.

Sully pressed a kiss to her temple; then began eating his stew.

The meal progressed with quiet conversation, laughter and kisses.

Sully had finished first; just as Michaela took her last bite he reached under the table, pulling out a package and trading her bowl for it.

She looked down at the brown paper wrapped object; then looked at her fiancé. "What's this?"

"A gift," he stated obviously, smirking.

She gave him a look.

Sully chuckled and nudged it toward her again. "Open it."

She rolled her eyes, but began to gently tear away the paper; when she reached the object Michaela gasped. "Sully!" It was a set of four wooden frames all linked together, the first slightly bigger than the other three. In the first frame was a photograph of herself and Sully, the next was of Matthew and Ingrid, after them Colleen and the last one of Brian; on the unattached side of his there were empty loops.

"For any new members we might add to our family," he told her seeing her run her hand over the loops.

She turned to him, tears in her eyes. "How did you get the –" she began but broke off and shook her head ruefully. "Just after New Years when that photographer was in town."

He grinned. "It was the kids' idea; I just helped them make it."

She leaned over and gave him a lingering kiss. "Thank you," she whispered once she pulled an inch away. "So, what's the occasion?"

"Do people need a reason?" he quoted again.

"No," she returned firmly, "but you do have one."

Grinning he kissed her; then stood up whispering in her ear. "Close your eyes."

"Sully…" she protested.

He kissed her again. "Please?"

Michaela sighed, but obeyed. She could hear him moving off a ways then slowly return; setting something down in front of her as he sat beside her again.

"Open your eyes," he told her.

Her eyes fluttered open. She frowned uncomprehendingly for a moment, but then understanding dawned on her and her jaw dropped open for the second time that night.

A small but beautiful cake with lit candles glowed in front of her. She groaned covering her face with her hands as she let her head drop to Sully's shoulder.

He chuckled. "Happy Birthday, Michaela."

"I completely forgot!"

"We figured that," humor tinged his tone.

She lifted her head, looked at him and, placing a hand on his cheek, leaned in, giving him a long slow kiss. When they finally had to part for air it was only the barest amount.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Sully rubbed his nose against hers. "Make a wish."

Michaela finally leaned away and turned back to her cake; it took her a moment but finally she took a deep breath and blew out the candles.

And out there, in the middle of the woods, him in his best suit and her in an everyday work dress, it was perfect – no matter what the reason.