"It's alright; just lie still, we're doing everything we can," Michaela said firmly as yet another young man struggled in pain.
He writhed on the bed as she meticulously worked on his infected leg. Or at least what was left of it. He had taken a fall during the latest campaign and had broken the shin bone and received several bullets to it. He was brought to the tent amidst a rush of gunfire, and Dr. Bernard unable to do anything else quickly amputated his leg. It was the next day Michaela noticed the discoloured flesh, and the fever setting in. But they were low on everything and pain relief wasn't an option right now.
By that evening the young man was taken away to be placed with the other dead soldiers and the cot only to be filled by another in just as bad a condition. She worked long and hard alongside the other doctors and nurses, just to keep as many of them alive as possible. There was no time to give them any further treatment in the field; if they were alive they were lucky; most of them were sent home once injured. Michaela changed out with Dr. Bernard again, and he gave her a smile as he ushered her out into the cool night air. She would rest now until morning.
After several months at her new home, her body moved on its own accord as she made her way through the crowded campsite. Night time was always a more cheerful time, as the attacks were usually kept to daylight hours. And it was now that the men took their well earned rest. She was brought back from her daydream by a whistle as she passed by several fresh faced young men around a camp fire. She smiled absently knowing the chance of seeing them this happy again would be small once they took to the frontline tomorrow. Somehow they all came back to that medical tent for one thing or another.
One of the men taking her disinterest as a challenge stepped out in front of her and grasped his hands around her hips. Waking her instantly from her dream like-state, she brushed his hands aside "Don't touch me," she ordered.
"Whoahhhhh," the young man teased as he gained winning taunts from his friends. "Hold on there, missy," he said lifting his hands in mock surrender. This time he moved his hands all the way around her, trapping her arms beside her and pulling her close. "Now isn't that better?" he grinned, his eyes greedily taking in her form. Michaela struggling to free herself was about to yell at him to get his hands off of her when she heard a voice behind her say, "Let her go!"
The other men in the group immediately stood to guard their friend. Michaela didn't need to turn to recognize the voice belonged to Sully. They had spent every moment possible together since their meeting, feeling a connection neither of them could explain but both enjoyed. They found they had a lot in common, more than anyone would think looking at them. They had been drawn to one another from the start, and four months later they were still the best of friends.
The other women in camp always gave her playful smiles and teased her when he came by, as he waited for her to finish her work. He was always ready with food so she could eat something before she fell asleep, usually on his shoulder in front of the campfire. And likewise she would wait for days at a time until he returned from his position just to see him, before she had to rush back inside. In spite of the war that raged around them, they found a calm centre with each other.
"I said let – her – go," he growled.
"And who are you? Ya gonna make me?" the young man laughed, and his friends joining in.
"Sully, please, I can handle this," Michaela said. Though Sully wasn't convinced he tried to contain himself. Immediately the man dropped his arms from Michaela and stepped back, his hands in the air. "I'm real sorry ma'am, I didn't mean no offence. Just havin' a little bit o' fun," he said quickly never taking his eyes from Sully. Too worried about Michaela to contemplate the reaction, he glared at the man and moved Michaela away into the safety of the night.
As they made their way through the tents, Michaela let out a small giggle. Sully stopped to question her. "What?" he wondered.
"You didn't realise?" she asked.
"Huh?"
"You have quite the reputation around here Sully," she smiled, knowing full well that everyone admired him, though for a myriad of different reasons. The nurses would say how he was the most handsome man, the most considerate, the most kind...and then there were the other doctors and soldiers alike, that he was the most fierce, the most intelligent, the strongest. Everyone held him in high esteem, yet he was clueless.
"What are you talkin' about? What reputation?"
After two days on her feet and tiredness completely set in, Michaela leapt back easily into her sleepy haze. She was feeling a little like a princess, being rescued from her tower, and delighting in his total lack of understanding of the situation. She walked playfully around him. "Oh all the nurses are talking about you," she said teasingly. Sully feeling a little nervous by all the seeming attention he had gathered was also happy to see a smile on Michaela's face after such a tiring day. He decided to play along, "I see, so everyone's talkin' about me, what about you? What do you say about me?"
Michaela, caught up in her daze, spoke as though reciting a fairy tale, "I tell them you're a handsome prince, oh so charming, come to rescue the princess from her tower before riding off into the sunset." She battered her eyelids for effect, and laughed at how ridiculous she was being. Sully loved this side of her and he grinned as he leaned in tickling her. She laughed and ran, Sully following her close behind all the way to her tent.
Both breathless, they stood outside the tent. It was amazing how things could change so dramatically in just an instant. They had been so close now for so long, and there had been times when they both thought there might be something more there than just friendship, but neither had wanted to ruin the good relationship they had. They stood close together and they could both sense the change in the air, as if someone had lifted a veil from their eyes: they could see clearly.
"And just who is this princess?" he asked trying to sound casual, knowing she had meant herself in the story.
Michaela looking at the face she knew so well whispered self consciously, "Me." She turned her face away to hide the flush spreading over her cheeks, but he turned her face back to him gently.
"And what do the prince and princess do once they've ridden off into the sunset?" he asked, his voice a little husky. Michaela swallowed, their faces were so close she could feel his breath on her cheek, she was coming back to reality slowly. "I suppose they...they live happily ever after," she said quietly. Sully smiled hearing the quiver in her voice, knowing beyond all doubt she was thinking the same thing he was. He could see the love in her eyes, just as it was written in his.
He moved in closer to her lips, only a breath apart, "Happily ever after?" She closed her eyes barely nodding her reply, wanting this oh so much. She couldn't hold on any longer and she moved in gently brushing her lips against his. She felt the butterflies in her stomach and her heart beating rapidly in her chest. It was a slow kiss, so gentle and pure. Her lips were softer than he could have imagined, and he did imagine them a lot. She pulled back surprised at her own behaviour, only to be pulled back in by his gentle arms, and her lips caressed with his once again.
Their warmth surrounded her as their lips danced together to a song they had created amongst the cold hard reality of their lives. It was a perfect kiss, a perfect love. And she didn't want it to end. Eventually when they did break apart, though the night was warm, Michaela felt a chill sweep across her. She couldn't bear to be apart from him and she folded herself into his arms once more. "Oh Sully," she whispered as her face rested on his chest. She could hear his heart beating so quickly, and she felt comforted by its rhythm.
Sully held her so close; he never wanted to let her go. Her small frame in his arms felt so right and he wanted to pledge himself to her forever, right there and then. "Michaela," was all he could say. They were both so overwhelmed. A cough from within the tent startled them and they shifted to their usual place in front of the camp fire. Though tonight Sully draped his arm around her and held her close, Michaela was never more content than that moment.
After gazing at the fire for some time Michaela turned her body to face Sully. His gaze said everything but she needed to hear it out loud. "Sully?" He smiled seeing the questioning look on her face, and slowly began.
"Michaela, you are the most amazing woman I have ever met," he said as he stroked her cheek with his knuckles. "Before I met you, I was... I was broken. But every day I spend with you makes me feel... new again. When I'm not with you...I feel like I'm only half of what I can be. I need you Michaela, I need to be with you," he said earnestly, clasping her hands in his.
She could only stare, his words penetrating deep within her soul. She felt it too, he completed her in so many ways. "Sully, I can't imagine life without you. You've been there for me in every single way, and you've been my everything, everyday. I need you too," she said, her heart thumping within her.
Could they say those words? Those words that could draw them closer than they have ever been? But was now really the time, here in this place? Here, where there was so much heart ache and pain, and where nothing was sure or certain. Sully knew he needed to say it; it was burning inside of him, trying to find its way out. "Michaela, I don't know how... I want to... I love you. I love you so much," he said it as he cupped her face in his hands, stroking her cheek with his thumb. He restrained himself from kissing her again, but he couldn't let her go. Then she said the only thing he wanted to hear, "Oh Sully, I love you too."
Their lips crashed together as if magnets drawn together. They couldn't fight it even if they wanted to. Michaela let out a soft moan as Sully's tongue brushed against her bottom lip, begging to be let in; she couldn't refuse and as their tongues met for the first time, it was Sully that moaned in pleasure. Their impassioned kiss was one long dreamed about and hoped for and for both of them it was more than perfect.