I actually was able to get this written really fast, fast than I expected. I hope you like it!

8

Michaela's mouth went dry and the blood drained from her face. "What happened?"

"Cow kicked her hard."

"I'll go get my things." She turned and headed toward the boardinghouse.

"I'll come too!" Colleen followed after her.

Michaela paused; looking back at Charlotte, who took a deep breath before nodding; then heading inside to get ready as well. Michaela nodded to the girl.

"Dr. Mike."

Michaela nearly sighed in frustration; she told Colleen to go get everything; then turned around.

Jake came up to her; looking shaken, but steadier than he had just a couple of minutes ago. "I-I want ta…help."

Michaela looked surprised, but slowly nodded. "Alright."

He nodded and headed off to get his horse tacked up.

Michaela watched him for a moment longer; then ran inside.

Once they had everything Michaela and Colleen headed out of the boardinghouse. Charlotte was standing on the porch speaking with Matthew and Brian.

"…want ya to watch things here, and keep an eye on your brother."

Matthew nodded, the hand of his good arm resting on his brother's shoulder, since the other was still in the sling. "Yes, Ma."

Charlotte turned her attention to her youngest child. "Brian, now you mind your brother 'til I get back?"

"Yeth, Ma," the little boy lisped.

"Good boy." She smiled at him before kissing the top of his head and then leaning over and kissing Matthew's cheek; she then headed over to the wagon; Robert E gave her a hand up, as he had done for Michaela and Colleen.

Jake rode up atop his horse; they were about to leave when Olive drove her wagon up, Maude and Loren with her. There was a silence for a moment before Robert flicked the reins and started them off, Jake and the other wagon trailing behind them.

8

They arrived on the homestead as quickly as they could; at the racket they made Sully rushed to the door; two month-old Hanna in his arms.

Michaela was the first to leap off, before the wagon had even stopped.

"She's hurting bad, Dr. Mike."

Michaela could read the pain and fear in his feature; she reached up and squeezed his shoulder and smiled and comfortingly as possible as he let her in. She immediately went to the bed where Abigail lay, her face contorted with pain.

"Abigail?"

The woman on the bed opened her eyes and looked at Michaela, slowly working a smile on her face as best she could. "Hey, Michaela; don't know why on earth they dragged ya out here, ain't nothing wrong with me." Her tone was joking, but Michaela could easily detect the pain in her voice.

Michaela gave her a wry smile. "Well, I'm just here to see what this 'nothing' is."

Colleen had come to stand beside her, Jake just behind her, and Charlotte stood at the doorway with the Brays, Olive and Robert E; attempting to make sure they didn't get in the way.

Michaela turned to her young assistant. "Colleen, could you get me my stethoscope?"

She nodded and rummaged through the ever-present "doctor bag" and handed Michaela what she asked for. The doctor placed the earpiece in her ear and the other end on Abigail's chest; she listened for several moments before draping the instrument along the back of her neck; she looked down at her patient. "Where exactly did the cow kick you?"

Abigail took a deep breath; Michaela could tell she was trying to push aside the pain. "Here." She lightly placed her hand on the spot.

Michaela felt her heart drop; she swallowed and took a deep breath before looking at the other people in the room. "Could everyone except Colleen leave for a moment?"

There was a great deal of reluctance, but Charlotte, Robert E, and, rather surprisingly, Jake coaxed Sully, the Brays and Olive outside; Charlotte closed the door behind them.

Michaela then, with Colleen's help, and Abigail's consent, undressed the woman, so she could inspect the area; when she was done she nodded to Colleen to open the door, knowing the best way to do this was to let everyone know what the prognosis was all together. At once they were all around the door of the house so that they would be able to hear what Michaela told them.

Michaela kept her attention on Abigail. "Your bleeding internally. That means your bleeding inside your body."

There were gasps and cries, but Michaela ignored them, forging onward, knowing time was of the essence. "I have to perform a surgery to try and, not only relieve the buildup of blood, but also fix the damage; because of the cesarean I had to perform at Hanna's birth, it is likely there is even more damage than normal." Michaela paused, almost unable to go on.

"There's more," Abigail intuitively said.

"Yes. There are no guarantees with this procedure, you may still die, but if you don't have it you will die for sure."

Abigail nodded. "I understand; go ahead."

Michaela looked to Colleen. "Please get everything set up."

The girl was immediately in motion.

Michaela looked to Charlotte, who nodded and turned to the Brays, Olive and Robert E. "Let's head on outside."

There were protests but Charlotte's will prevailed.

Michaela glanced at Jake. "I'm going to need you to administer the chloroform."

He nodded and accepted the bottle and cloth Colleen handed to him.

Sully, meanwhile, was kneeling beside his wife; she smiled at him; she looked at their daughter, in his arms, running a finger along a chubby little cheek. Suddenly determination entered her eyes and she turned to Michaela who was preparing for the procedure.

"Michaela." The doctor turned at her friend's voice; Abigail reached out a hand to her; Michaela moved to her side taking the hand in her own. "I have something I want you to promise me."

"What?"

"That if I don't make it, you help Sully with Hanna –"

"Abigail –!"

"Michaela, please! I need to know that Hanna will have a woman in her life to talk to about things and to explain things to her." She paused, her eyes pleading her friend. "Please?"

Michaela swallowed, daring a glance at Sully, who was watching his wife, anguish etched on his face, but he glanced up at her and nodded, before looking back at his wife.

She swallowed again; then turned back to the mother on the bed. "I-I promise." She was having the gut-wrenching feeling of déjà vu, reminding her of how Abigail had plead the same thing when Hanna was born.

Abigail gave a relieved smile, which became a wince. She looked at her husband. "You need to go and let Michaela do her job."

Sully squeezed his eyes shut and gave a single jerk, which passed for a nod. Abigail rested a hand over his. "I love you."

Sully swallowed and leant down, kissing her. "I love ya too."

Colleen led him out the door, closing it behind him.

Abigail looked at Michaela, giving her friend's hand one last squeeze and an encouraging smile, before letting her go.

Michaela turned to Jake and instructed him on how to use chloroform while she cleaned her hands; Colleen set out the last things.

They all moved to "their places"; Michaela on one side of the bed, Colleen behind her, and Jake on the other side of the bed. Jake placed the chloroform soaked cloth over Abigail's nose and mouth; once she was unconscious. Michaela took a deep breath. "Here we go."

8

Charlotte and Olive did their best to keep Loren and Maude calm; Sully was silently off to the side, still holding his daughter, refusing to let anyone else take her; Robert E stood near him, cap in hands, wringing it, and all the while trying to be there incase Sully needed him.

Several people from town had ridden in since the surgery had begun, including Reverend Johnson, Emily and the rest of the quilting circle. Many were gathered around the Reverend, praying.

The door opened and everyone turned to it.

Michaela had never felt more in the spotlight, she swallowed, trying to get a breath in through the tight constriction in her chest. She was about to speak when Sully stepped up in front of her and the words caught in her throat. She stared at him, her mouth opening and closing a couple of times before she swallowed, her gaze never leaving his. She forced a deep breath into her lungs, trying to detach herself. She opened her mouth; for a moment the words still wouldn't come out. "She…she didn't – make it."

Sully's face became stricken but he swallowed and as calmly as possible placed Hanna in Michaela's arms and went inside.

Michaela was frozen in place, barely restrained tears in her eyes. Around her there were cries and tears, but she didn't hear them; the only thing she heard was the desolate, aggrieved cry that came from inside the cabin once Colleen and Jake had exited it and closed the door behind them.

Michaela couldn't move.

There was a touch on her arm and a gentle voice finally cut through the fog. "Dr. Mike."

She snapped her head to the person.

Charlotte stood there watching her with compassion and her own pain. "Let's get home."

Michaela looked down at the baby in her arms. "What about –"

"We'll take her," the older woman gently cut in. "I think Sully needs some time alone."

Michaela nodded, swallowing. She cast one last glance at the door, behind which lay the body of one of her two best friends and the grieving form of her other.

8

This is a chapter I knew was coming for the longest time, but it was hard for me because I have really grown to like Abigail a lot; the show developed her so little and through my own exploration into her I have become attached to her. I am hoping that this story will decide to let her come back once in a while in flashbacks; we will all have to see. In the next chapter many will be mourning Abigail, we'll see how this affects Jake, and Michaela and someone will come to see more eye to eye (just a little hint of what is to come.) I am actually hoping to have it up tomorrow, but we will see. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed! The reviews really encourage me a lot and help me keep going! (No this isn't blackmail or guilt-tripping, this is just a thank you. :) )